The MBOX

In this globalized world we've started to realize that anything we do has an effect on the total system. This effect might not be seen or result in direct impact on the initiator, but it will come back to us and have an impact for humanity in general. So many goods are initially created by the so-called "industrialized countries" and eventually manufactured in remote places due to their intrinsic low wages, different environmental and safety standards and fewer regulations. We've started to understand that every product we design and manufacture has a commercial price and a "real" price, with the sales prices of many goods certainly not reflecting their real prices. We should understand and question the real impact of products to local communities, their working conditions and the environment, as everything on this planet is interlinked. When it comes to product decisions and our behavior, we should defeat a "thinking culture" about comfortable personal choices. What does it mean for us humans? –will be the question to ask. This will have a tremendous effect on product design as we should consider production circles much more. We should aim to shorten our long supply chains and focus on local instead of global. We should dig out old ancient production methods, materials and techniques that create a smaller impact for all of us. We will be inspired by biomimicry and bioengineering technologies to make better products and start to tolerate defects and imperfect surfaces much more.

When the internet opened for the public and a wider audience at the end of the 90s, it was intended to become a platform for sharing information & data. The intention was to educate and inform people. When comparing these initial motives with the current motives behind endless amounts of apps and websites we use daily, we realize the tremendous change that has happened. Modern coding has generated data-inhaling websites and services that are purely designed to steal data and generate profits. While we are enjoying beautifully designed services and interfaces, we are milked for our data. With these new technological milestones in place, companies who own the code know excactly what will be our next move as a customer, our political motivation and what triggers us. More recently, with AI, we've entered a new transformational phase, just like when the industrial revolution started. We should aim to change the digital future into the "good" direction. Eventually we should aim to regain ownership of the information and data we put out in the world wide web, consciously or unconsciously. We should use this to build and secure trust in the digital world. We should aim for full transparency in a very deep complex network.

So often we find ourselves in the highspeed tunnel of consumption. With smart devices, IoT and algorithms that just keep getting smarter and smarter, we are constantly fed with products, services or entertainment that we are told to absolutely need. We are curious of what is next, what is new and disrupting the market. The modeling business seems to be dead as brands have moved their advertisement budgets towards influencers and social media. Now, content creators are the visible helpers of companies and brands that are wanting to sell their next "great" product. Especially age groups around Gen–Z seem completely addicted to their social media streams. For many of these young people, it is the highest goal to one day become a professional influencer… This is all happening while the world is dying of overproduction and crappy products with short lifespans. We are moving towards an era where many of us will just pull the plug and unfollow. We are tired of following, of being told what's hot and what‘s not. We are escaping to our inner soul to find out again who we are and what we want. We discover our own DNA and will eventually find spiritual healing. We will find our own balance. This is the real ANTI-trend story. IN which we can be very individual and connect with things we have always loved. It‘s your choice! A timeless design and a timeless product approach. Designed to last, designed for you and for generations to come. An honest design approach rooted in simplicity.