Creative solutions to everyday challenges.
Author Béatrice Lorans
As industries grapple with sustainability, security, and social impact, a new wave of purposeful design is emerging.
From sustainable jeans made with sugar to an AI grandmother who loves chatting with scammers (yes, really), here are four brilliant ideas that show us just how exciting 2025 could be…
Pili X Citizen of Humanity
Imagine creating the perfect pair of jeans without leaving a trace on the planet. Pili has cracked the code with an ingenious solution to one of fashion’s biggest environmental challenges. By transforming plant-based sugars into vibrant dyes, they’re breaking the mould in an industry that consumes a staggering 2 million tons of petroleum-based dyes annually. Plus, these sustainable jeans are completely indistinguishable from their traditional counterparts.
Faircado
Meet your new shopping companion with a conscience. As you browse online, this clever AI assistant silently hunts for second-hand treasures, transforming mundane shopping into an exciting treasure hunt for sustainable alternatives. In a world where the fashion industry’s emissions are set to surge 50% by 2030, Faircado makes being part of the solution as easy as clicking a button.
PA Consulting’s games controller
By 2027, the gaming industry is projected to be worth £246 billion. But, like every sector, its now grappling with the changing attitudes, beliefs, and expectations of the younger consumers. To understand next-gen gamers, PA Consulting drew on insights from a survey of 4,000 people from the US and UK to design a new AI-powered game controller that prioritises sustainability and customisation. The enthusiastic response from young gamers, with 73% expressing concern about environmental impact, signals a new era where gaming hardware combines personalisation with sustainability.
O2's AI Granny
In case you missed it, Daisy is O2’s new AI grandmother designed to charm scammers into lengthy conversations, wasting their time so they can’t target vulnerable people. She can keep fraudsters engaged for up to 40 minutes with engaging stories and conversation, demonstrating AI’s potential to safeguard communities with personality. An ingenious and, quite frankly, hilarious invention.
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