The Future of Fashion Is Mushroom Leather, Bloomberg
When you think about how high-end fashion items are manufactured, you might conjure up images of factory pollution, mistreatment of animals and poor labor conditions (and you’d be right). But François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering — the luxury group behind Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and others — is taking major strides to fix the supply chain. In the last four years, his company has invested in alternatives to leather, embraced the use of recycled textiles, worked to reduce plastic use and even links CEO bonuses to sustainability achievements. “It’s the new moon,” says Pinault. “The new frontier is the sustainability frontier.”
The Paperfuge: A 20-Cent Device That Could Transform Health Care, Wired
A team of Stanford bioengineers has developed a device that costs less than a quarter to make and can help save lives around the world. Dubbed the Paperfuge, it operates like a traditional centrifuge to spin bio samples and help diagnose diseases like malaria, but it requires no electricity and fits inside a doctor’s pocket. The device embodies “frugal science” — the idea that affordable yet powerful tools can transform global medicine.
New Court Aims to Redefine Young Adult Justice in Chicago, Christian Science Monitor
For young people charged with nonviolent crimes, a criminal record can mean diminished job prospects, continued poverty and a seemingly inescapable life of repeat offenses. But a pilot program in Chicago aims to break this cycle by letting perpetrators make amends to those they’ve wronged and contribute positively to their community instead of serving time. Ultimately, if the offender completes the program successfully, his or her record can be wiped clean.