Happy Thursday.
Hi again,
We’re still fine-tuning the details of our newsletter, and we appreciate all the feedback, both positive and negative!
As with everything, change is going to ruffle some feathers, and we thank you for being on this journey with us.
At the end of the day, we want to streamline our emails to you, give you an easy way to absorb all of our content, and also encourage you to visit our website for deeper dives.
NOW ONTO THE ARTICLES…
Feature Story
Savor’s Butter Made From Thin Air Breaks Our Brain
Imagine spreading butter on warm sourdough, knowing it was spun from the air around you rather than churned from a cow.
It sounds like culinary fantasy, but Savor, a Bay Area startup, is bringing that idea to life. Their “carbon-to-butter” initiative is true modern alchemy, turning invisible gases into rich, golden fat.
We let this idea steep in our minds for a bit, and still couldn’t fathom how it worked, or even how to go about coming up with such an idea. So, we did our research.
The Simple Wonder Behind the Science
At its heart, butter is just a collection of molecules: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, arranged into fats. If you can find those atoms and assemble them correctly, you don’t need a pasture or a dairy herd, you can make butter directly.
In Savor’s labs, carbon dioxide and hydrogen are the raw ingredients. Using heat, pressure, and catalysts, these gases transform into hydrocarbon chains. Add oxygen at just the right points, and you get fatty acids, which are the essential building blocks of butterfat.
Still mystified? So were we. Read the whole article on our website.
Chicago’s latest conspiracy?
No, There is Not a Man Trapped Inside Chicago’s Bean
Despite a small yet growing contingent with signs and megaphones, there is not a human trapped inside Chicago’s famous ‘bean’ sculpture.
Anish Kapoor’s iconic Cloud Gate sculpture has been a mainstay of tourists exploring the city’s Millennium Park, and has been nicknamed The Bean, a name Kapoor himself is fond of.
In recent days, there have been “protests” decrying that a live human has been trapped in the sleek metal sculpture, and calling for their release.
Courtesy of Man in Bean Coalition.
Calling themselves The Man in Bean Coalition, the group has all the trappings of a great conspiracy theory, with some artistic theatrics thrown in.
In their telling, a baby was sealed inside Anish Kapoor’s massive mirrored bean during its 2004 construction. Living in total isolation with minimal space or breathing room, this adult is now 21 years old, and demands justice.
The wildly outlandish, physically dubious claim doubles as the kind of performance art that feels tailor-made for our era.
Sandal Swap
Modular Sandals Let You Swap Style and Function Easily
Swapz is a concept that lets users rapidly change the look or function of their footwear.
We appreciate the ingenuity of a multi-duty product, especially one that is wearable.
That’s the main innovation behind Swapz, a modular sandal/slipper concept that has a range of straps and materials for different use cases.
The work of California-based designer Ellie Kim, the footwear has a modular rail system that allows for different straps to swap out quickly and easily.
The Swapz would be available in EVA foam made from sugarcane, recycled cork, or recycled rubber from tires. It’s a great way to offer a range of materials that are all sustainably-minded.
We are no stranger to sharing ideas of footwear innovation, and straight up silliness.
This concept seems especially fitting in the era of fast fashion.
In Person
THIS FALL IN ART / DESIGN EVENTS 🍁
Dates: September 13–21, 2025
A nine-day citywide celebration featuring over 400 events, from public installations to thought-leadership programs. It transforms the urban environment into a living design gallery, making it a vibrant destination for both designers and curious travelers.
Dates: October 18–26, 2025, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Hosted across approximately 120 venues in Eindhoven—including design institutions and experimental art spaces—and attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors, DDW is one of Europe’s largest and most forward-thinking design festivals.
Dates: October 21–26, 2025
A visionary contemporary art fair held during Paris Art Week. Paris Internationale is renowned for its curated, invite-only galleries showcasing both established and emerging artists—offering that sweet spot of discovery and prestige.
Dates: September 18–October 4, 2025
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
This wildly democratic art festival turns the entire city into a gallery. Anyone over 18 can display art in diverse spaces—from museums to laundromats—with winners chosen by public vote and expert jury. It’s immersive, inclusive, and public-facing.
That mountain air…
Falling for Autumn
With fall around the corner, we felt the urge to share this goofy ad from the Swiss Tourism Bureau, starring famous Swiss stars Mads Mikkelsen and Roger Federer.
A Final Note
"Everything is designed. Few things are designed well."
-Brian Reed
Looking for expert branding advice, and great case studies? Look no further than Brand ID Weekly.
Until next time.
