The 48ème edition of the International fair of the piece of furniture has just finished in Milan there is Effet crisis little or not, a return to essence seems to be released of with dimensions of the designers this year: sober colors, material recycling, use of wood, knitted wool.  The Bouroullec brothers without any doubt were inspired by this tendency since one of their creation presented at the time of the Living room and called “Plant” had as a starting idea a chair which pushes like a plant….

But the object which achieved the unanimity in this context of green design, is without any doubt the Parupu chair.

A chair for child, entirely biodegradable but resistant, impermeable and carried out starting from pulp of paper and bio-plastic at base D `starch of corn.

Fruit of collaboration between a Swedish group Södra, one of the leader world of the paper pulp, and designers Claesson Koivisto Rune, this chair declined in several colours should be produced in a few months and sold approximately 25 €.

Parupu, strange name which in Japanese wants to say paper pulp for the little story.

You have more than 18 years? You are student (E) S in art or design? You are originating in the European Union? No the doubt, you are the ideal candidate to take part in the contest launched by the EU for the development of the new European logo bio.

As from on July 1, 2010, it will be obligatory to affix the European logo bio on all the biological products containing at least 95% of ingredients resulting from the mode of production ecological and in conformity with the rules of the official system from control and certification; a way according to Mariane Fischer Boel, the police chief European in charge with Agriculture and Rural development “to reinforce the identity of the biological die in the EU” (in other words to help the consumer to locate the biological products easily some is their source).

You thus have until June 25, 2009 at midnight to lodge your projects directly with the site of the European commission. At the conclusion of this date a jury made up of experts will select best the proposals which will be published directly on the site (autumn 2009). The contest will then be opened to the European public and to the inhabitants of the Union which will be able to vote on line to choose their favorite logo.

Gaining will be announced in 2010; in addition to the fact that its logo will become the official symbol of the biological products starting from this date, he will see himself gratifié of the sum of 6000 € and will be invited to Brussels like a guest star or the European Commissioner in load of Agriculture and Rural development will give his price to him!

To be registered with the contest and more: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/logo/competition/competition_fr.htm

For more information on biological agriculure: Site of the European commission devoted to the products bio

Lidl, the German discounter democratizes the equitable trade to make it available to always more world.

It is official, as of this summer Lidl de France will offer to their equitable customers a product range under the Fairglobe mark, labellized max Havalaar. Initially, only the products will be offered, could one say, basic equitable trade such as: the, coffee, chocolate, sugar, bananas…

For those which already on the occasion to go in Lidl German, English or Belgian, the thing is not new. It is thanks to the request of the same customers them as the idea was born ensures T one with dimensions one of the direction. The acknowledged goal is obviously to touch a new public!

What is necessary it to really think about it? A good thing for the equitable trade in general? Powder with the eyes purely and simply? In any case a will to follow current mobility….remain to be seen if there is a true ethical step behind all that….

At the time or it is much question of Sustainable development, the Equitable trade raises interrogations, doubts. Are they all the two compatible ones when one knows that it is necessary to transport products of a place of production in the South towards a place of consumption in North?

To answer these questions and all the others that you are posed on the equitable trade (business or genuine lever of development action? Which benefits T it? Is the overcost of the products it justified? ….) Ethiquable (a company specialist in the equitable trade) lance a Web TV in opening of world Day the equitable trade (on May 9).

We all are invited to connect us there this day dice 14:00 on www.ethiquable.tv for a special program entitled “the Round the world tour of the Equitable trade”. The occasion to take us along 4 hours lasting to the meeting of those which make the equitable trade: producers, ONG, specialized companies; the emission will be on line with duplex on each continent.

While waiting for this date, you can connect on the site in order to poster all your questions.