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www.keaggy.com/periodictable
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www.azuregrackle.com/periodictable/table
The Periodic Table probably brings back either happy, or horrifying memories of your Chemistry class. Thats when you were busy mixing sulphuric acid with phosphorous or quietly dozing in the back (I know I was doing the last option). But this is one really resourceful periodic table, where each 'element' links you to a whole other periodic table. Its got everything from music to beverages and what-not. 

Some of the good ones are The Periodic Table Printmaking Project. This combines science an art in an amazing way to give you loads of information on different printing techniques. And The Periodic Table of Chippies (better known as Dingbats) in the AIGA archives. There is also The Periodic Table of Typefaces. 

Another one worth looking at is The Wines of Substance Periodic Table. Wine at its interactive best. 

There's the seemingly inane Table of Cupcakes for the food-inclined. And a very cryptic Periodic Table of Metaphors (scroll to see) 
Cartoon lovers can check out the Periodic Table of Cartoons. 

For some great sarcastic humour check out the Periodic Table of Criminal Elements. I bet India could have a very rich one like this. 

There is the Periodic Table of the Europeans. 
 
Its interesting to see how the basic structure of the Periodic Table can be applied to organize almost any bunch of data, from the useful to the frivolous. The original Periodic Table generally credited to Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, is an early example of visual representation of information to help us classify and compare. It seems simple to us now, almost symbolic, as we take that representation for granted, but must have been a creative leap for science back then. The system it uses to represent the elements, is functionally strong enough to still be used and applied to different data. 

The person behind the impressive Periodic Table of Periodic Tables is Bill Keaggy whose official tagline is "Collector, maker and breaker of things". And he has done some serious collecting just in terms of the amount of links/resources on his site. The word 'Publishmentalitarianism' on the browser when you open his site just sums it up.  The Periodic Table is small fry for someone with a site like this. The home page looks deceivingly simple, but there are loads of images, links, information he has posted there. As he has stated there, "This web site is a collection of visual indiscretions. It serves no purpose and despite what you may think, it does not waste a lot of my time — just yours."

By Armeen Kapadia
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archive.aiga.org
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empax.org
Branding, graphic design and advertising are usually not associated with non-profit ventures. Non-profits have to compete at the same level as everyone else in the marketplace, and they need to avail of the same expertise available to everyone else. 

Empax is one such graphic design firm, who work for non-profits. In their own words "We create media, sites and other tools that our clients can operate and expand on their own, thereby offering the most cost-effective solutions available. Long after our client work has ended, these tools will continue to empower our clients’ communications as their organizations grow and evolve." 

Empax is exemplary. They work 'exclusively for The Good Guys'. They usually work for clients, but if they feel strongly about a cause, or sense a design opportunity, they work on it on their own too. The logo and visual language to them, is a way to represent an abstract concept to people. Good causes need to be communicated well to people, to translate into positive action. Non-profits need design strongly, as they depend on donors, and other factors beyond money. 

You can see a list of who they work with here. There's the pro bono work they did for Israeli President Shimon Peres. They created two booklets concerned with the Israeli environmental situation, and 32 specific actions the President could take to reach specific environmental targets. The President has adopted their points, and putting recommendations into practice.  

There are numerous other case studies such as Sound, Hunts Point, and Hide And Seek. They deal with health, education, sustainability, social action, community building, and more. You can also take a  look at Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection. 

Of course the question on everyone's mind is: Is doing such work economically viable for them, because at the end of the day, we all have to eat. They do charge their clients, but as they also have to pay rent and salaries, they are happy if anyone would like to sponsor their work. Sponsorship enables them to charge their clients less, and gets you a mention on their donor roll. They are on the look out for talent (=people) and they need stories (=clients).

Empax appears to have taken design beyond colour and form, to its new role, and probably an essential one for the future. If design is to continue empowering humankind tomorrow, it has to rise to the challenges of today. And they aren't just about choosing the right typeface anymore. 

Its challenging for graphic design or advertising to translate into any kind of social or behavioral change. (not including consumerism) How many 'save the trees' posters actually save trees? If graphic design can nudge positive social change or empowerment, then its breaking new ground.

By Armeen Kapadia
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© fromsomewhere.co.uk
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© fromsomewhere.co.uk
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© elvisandkresse.com
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© christopherraeburn.co.uk
The British Fashion Council has an eco sensitive initiative known as Estethica, now in its seventh season at the London Fashion Week. This initiative, one of the first of its kind, has seen some rapid growth, from 13 to 18 designers. It encourages ethical designers competing in the mainstream. Some of the designers are reusing materials you wouldn't look twice at, and creating great looking stuff at that, while others are focussing on naturally grown materials, and fair trade. 

Take a look at the work of Elvis and Kresse, the people who seem healthily obsessed with waste. Some of the material they work with includes old fire-hose, coffee sacks, parachute silk and more. See their products, bags, belts, wallets, and they looks as good as new, if not better. Their packaging too, is made of re-used material, with product labels that are printed on the back of used Air Traffic Control Strips. 

Another designer doing some pretty nifty work is Christopher Raeburn, who makes parachutes into must-possess jackets and the like. The jackets are made from military parachute fabric, and looking at them you wouldn't believe it. The lines of the parachutes are transformed into trendy outer wear. 

From Somewhere have been creating women's wear since 1997, from the waste created in the designing phase such as proofs, swatches, cut-out left overs and ends of materials. Each piece is individually unique, but they are still reproducible in large numbers. Each piece is made from high-quality left-overs of the fashion industry, things that are usually unwanted and ignored, but still beautiful and usable. Run by Orsola de Castro and Fillippo Ricci, their strategy is simple and brilliantly effective. Use the fashion industry production surplus and leftovers, completing the circle of creation and consumption. Incidentally, Orsola and Fillippo are the co-founders and creators of Esthetica. 

Izzy Lane Ethical Fashion creates woolen garments that mostly come from their own sheep, and the Shetland Collection is entirely undyed as the natural colour of the wool is best. The shoe collection is  totally animal-friendly with no animal derived products used. Izzy Lane is also concerned with creating the entire garment exclusively in Britain, and use what little is left of their textile industry. 

Kayu is an ethical and ecologically conscious line of accessories, the high-point of which are sunglasses handcrafted from bamboo. Their clutch bags are made from a women's cooperative and feature natural materials such as shell and straw. Founded by Jamie Lim, Kayu funds one sight-restoring surgery for each pair of glasses sold. 

There are other designers here too such as Sonya Kashmiri, who only uses a special tanning process, and Minna, who re-use old lace, and design waste to create stylish pieces. Nina Dolcetti shoes are outrageous and hand-made, yet create minimum waste, and avoid tanning. 

Estethica labels selected for 2010 are here. A great initiative that can create new paradigms in the industry, and encourages designers to be more ethically and ecologically conscious. 

By Armeen Kapadia
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