At the London Design Museum a number of ‘sustainable’ projects were shown, seeking to highlight the design opportunities afforded by the use of renewable materials and traditional craft. The CLEAN series by CinqCinq uses bent branches to secure synthetic bristles in a series of cleaning brushes. The use of bright red to indicate the mass-produced element is reminiscent of the yellow thread in the Hundred Mile Suit. How can such literal material use ever carry the same desirability as cutting-edge modern products? Here is the description from the placard:
“CLEAN is a series of brushes and dust collectors: a feather duster, a dustbin, a brush, and brooms in two different sizes. The French design group CinqCinq has, through this series, challenged the industrial process of everyday products and turned these pieces into crafted, artisan objects. The idea here is not to replicate their mass produced equivalents, but rather to introduce a considered aesthetic through the use of material and its production process where the user will appreciate the object beyond its mere function. The handles are constructed from raw chestnut, and then steam bent to form the desired curve to fit the brush attachment, thus indicating that the labour intensity of the production line is longwinded, yet the result being one of slight unique characters for each piece.”