"“GREEN GRADS is an inarguable double whammy: promoting new talent and the environment at one and the same time. Our forward-looking outward-facing sponsors publicly affirm their support of these two vital causes.” Barbara Chandler, founder/curator GREEN GRADS"

Conor has invented “seaweed leather,” a versatile, durable and sustainable biomaterial based on kelp, which is both regenerative and abundant in Scotland, where he studied and lives. Conor worked with Scottish seaweed experts and event organisers to explore and test his new material building a segment of a modular, scalable pavilion for outdoor events such as festivals. “Such temporary structures are typically made from extractive materials and generate significant waste,”

"In this conversation, Cary Sherburne of What They Think, USA interviews Michael Cherwinski, co-director and producer of Green Grads, discussing the initiative's mission to support new design talent and foster a community among graduates. Michael shares his background in ceramics and public engagement, emphasising the importance of networking and collaboration among designers. The conversation also highlights the strategies used to attract attention from journalists and investors, focusing on the strength of the products showcased by Greengrads."

Winner of the "THE EARTH AWARD 2024" Yohaan Kukreja and Ankita Khanna RAWMaterials (Renewable Agricultural Waste) “A bio-composite, which is a sustainable, circular alternative to synthetic materials, made from the rice straw otherwise burnt in huge quantities every year by farmers in India.” interviewed by Cary Sherburne of What They Think. The judges commended the passion that Yohaan and Ankita bring to their project, starting with a moving video that shows fields ablaze. They felt that RAWMaterials goes one step further than creating a material from waste; it is also a protest against deadly air pollution and soil degradation. The designers also have a credible business plan to target several industries, including footware, hotels and cars.

In this conversation, Cary Sherburne of What They Think interviews Saima Fateh - “The Transence Screen” This clever window blind is a new concept of "responsive sun-shading” which needs no electrical connections. The elegant translucent acrylic louvres panels contain a "smart" material called Nitinol, an alloy which changes shape as it gets hot, and reverts back as it cools down. Furthermore, the louvres are printed with photochromic patterns that shift from white to orange as solar radiation increases, creating pretty patterns on the wall – “but also flagging up invisible threats.” Research data came from Saima’s own home town of Udaipur, Rajasthan – “a semi-arid region with hot, dry summers, mild winters, and large temperature fluctuations between night and day.” Saima has a richly diverse design background – “my experience ranges from utilitarian products to craft-based sculptural installations.” Accordingly, she believes in “pluralist design” and adds: “Don’t think of me as either a designer or a craftsperson. To me design is simply ideas made visible.”

In this conversation, Cary Sherburne of What They Think, USA interviews Tayo Ayelowo at Green Grads, at Yorkton Workshop - London 2024. "I AM THE EARTH" - at Green Grads 2024, Yorkton Workshop, London. Tayo’s exuberant large-scale textile compositions vividly celebrate nature and animals and are intricately crafted from meticulously-cut scraps of discarded Dutch wax prints, with their bold distinctive graphics, of the type historically exported to West Africa, the artist’s homeland.

"In this conversation, Cary Sherburne of What They Think, USA interviews Adriana Tabuenca at Green Grads, at Yorkton Workshop - London 2024. Adriana explores her work and passion for environmental product design and practice. As an industrial designer, Adriana has developed a unique approach to using recycled materials like paper and cardboard as the basis for her 3D printed creations, in sharing the inspiration and process behind her biodegradable sculptures to combine cutting-edge technology with environmentally-conscious design principles."