The Empty Shop

A shop that starts off empty everyday, gets filled up during the day, and gets emptied out again at the end of the day. This has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with charity. 

“A Loja Vazia" (The Empty Shop) is a Winter Clothing Drive Campaign in BRMalls Shopping VillaLobos, São Paulo, Brazil. This initiative turns the whole ideal of shopping on its axis, people are encouraged to bring clothing to the shop instead of taking it way. This creates a new way for people to donate clothing.

However, this shop with its clean and crisp design, functions like any normal retailer. 

They have stylists on hand that style up outfits on mannequins from the clothing they have received. This is an attempt to encourage donations that are of a  good quality.

After the store has filled up during the day, it will be emptied out and given to charity so that the donation process can start all over again the next morning. 

3.2 Tons later The Empty Shop has gain interest from malls across the globe and has now been open sourced that this concept is available to anyone who is interested.

This initiative provides a brand new take on the concept of a charity drive.  The Empty Shop, situated at the centre of the mall will be a constant reminder that we should not only take, but also give- 3.2 tons of clothing later helping thousands of people in need.

From Salad Spinner To Washing Machine

Although doing laundry has nothing to do with making salad, the GiraDora washing machine uses all the principles of a salad spinner to create a washing machine that makes doing laundry in rural areas less back-breaking and time-consuming.



Problem: Rural areas sometimes have inconsistent energy supply and a lack of clean water. 
Solution:The GiraDora is a $40 foot-powered washer-dryer designed by Alex Cabunoc and Ji A you. 

Both of them are students at Art Centre College's Design Matters program. In 2011 they spent two weeks in a slum outside of Lima, Peru where they worked closely with a family to identify the needs of rural communities to which they responded by designing a consumer product solution.

Their final prototype includes a seat on which the user can sit while doing laundry,which can relieve the back pain usually associated with washing clothing by hand.

Word was spread around by these young designers to fellow academics and the press which secured a $19 500 sponsor allowing them to continues developing more prototypes and implementing these designs in rural areas. 

Their current prototype is approved by testers in Peru, Lima, Santiago and Chile.

Poverty cannot be solved by a single product but the burden can be lightened. The GiraDora addresses a very real social problem that we might not even give a second thought, but makes the world's difference to families in rural areas that don't have the luxury of a LG or Defy. This is the ideal design to be implemented in rural areas by governments across the globe. It may not work with electricity but it definitely has the potential to empower the poverty stricken world be live in.