In this modern age of everything-looks-the-same DIY furniture, it makes sense that some people want to make something unique to stand out from their friends’ IKEA apartment fixtures. While you could spend hours searching a thrift store for something out of the ordinary, the best way to find something one of a kind is to…well, make it yourself. Jisun Kim, a designer working on her Master’s Degree at Kingston University, had the bright idea of using fabric nets as stencils for different kinds of furniture. By filling these premade nets with expanding foam, she can create unique pieces that burst at the seams with self-expanding foam—yet still retain their use…

Nike air technology has come a long way since aerospace engineer Marion Rudy pitched his air-bag innovation to Nike in 1977. These days Air technology is really strutting its stuff by going full sole! I’m talking AirMax 720, a shoe to behold with heal-to-toe air. But how is this possible and what has changed since the first generation AirMax hit the streets in 1987? Namely, continuous advancements in the methods and approach to air cushion manufacturing. Nike News recently posted a series of articles that chronicle many of the key technologies and manufacturing innovations that has paved the way to visible air. Let’s have a look and see what we…

Get that stretch out of your system with this week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist. It’s fashioned up, ready to make you pull your shoulder blades back and knock out another week of meaningful work while you bob your head to the beat. Whether you’re in the shop milling aluminum, sketching the latest product prototypes or modeling up a 3D storm, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week on SolidSmack Radio we’ll fire things off with the all-new “This Life” from Vampire Weekend before jumping into tracks from Son Lux, Dumbo Gets Mad, Foxygen, Bibio, and others before wrapping up with the new Tame Impala track “Patience”.…

Cherished by writers, designers, illustrators, and other creative professionals for its soft dark lead and unique flat eraser, the Blackwing 602 is worth trying at least once—but be forewarned: you may never go back to plain old #2 pencils again. Originally manufactured by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company from 1934 – 1988, the Blackwing brand was acquired by California Cedar Products Company in 2008 and reintroduced to a new generation of creatives in 2012. And now, you can score your own 12-pack of the legendary pencil for just 23 bucks. Palomino Blackwing 602 Pencils 12-Pack — $24.89 Features: One pack of 12 Palomino Blackwing pencilsPencils feature a soft and smooth…

Word pairings and associations can be everything; Peanut Butter and Jelly. Peas and Carrots. Meat and Potatoes. Nike and…Air. To provide further insight for shoe nerds and design geeks into the making of one of the company’s most iconic shoe technologies, the Nike team released ‘A Brief History of Nike Air’ – a consolidated history of one of the most revolutionary design features to ever hit footwear design. Nike Air traces its roots back to 1977, where retired aerospace engineer Marion Franklin Rudy presented an air cushioned shoe prototype to Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The idea was to add airbags to the soles of athletic shoes to cushion the user’s…

Since screaming on to the rapid prototyping scene in 2013, 3D Hubs has been relentless in making sure their message is heard. Billed as the “AirBnB of 3D Printing”, the company’s business model is based on experienced 3D printer technicians renting out their equipment to other users on a per-project-basis. Not surprisingly, the 3D Hubs crew has learned a thing or two about what makes for “good design for 3D printing” — and now, they want to share it with all of us. The 3D Printing Handbook | Technologies, Design, and Applications is written for design and engineering professionals looking to master the key aspects of 3D printing—from connecting parts to…