How are everyday and home-living products and services evolving? Is it going to be all smart cities and smart homes capable of integrating everyday solutions, with services beyond mere transport or bureaucracy? Are living places going to be product-services requiring the expertise of the home comfort sector to maximise their value?

And also: how important is it being eco-friendly? Is anyone going to face these environmental problems? Is there something actually being done to solve them?

That's what the webinar "The future of lifestyles. Sustainability, everyday life and consumption” was about; organised by HOMI, Fiera Milano's Lifestyle Trade Fair, the event is dedicated to the world of living and home décor, to be held at Fieramilanocity from 5 to 8 September 2021.

Moderated by the CEO of POLI.design - Matteo Oreste Ingaramo, the speakers talked over the evolution of products and services dedicated to everyday life, to the home-living, between environment and sustainability. The Exhibition Director Business Unit Lifestyle, Fiera Milano, Mr. Emanuele Guido got the work started and introduced the moderator, followed by Laura Bettini, Journalist for the "Si può fare" programme on RADIO 24; Guido Chiti, IPAC Owner; Edoardo Croci, Coordinator of the Smart City Observatory, Bocconi University - Green; Raffaella Mangiarotti, Designer; Paola Scalvini, Home Product Manager, Coincasa; Andrea Tozzi, Research Manager - CasaDoxa, BVA Doxa.

According to statistics specifically analysed by the latter on environmental sustainability, most Italians have a perception of it as a fundamental value: "58% of those surveyed consider it essential in their homes," explains Tozzi. This attention is no longer just a trend, but one of the crucial vectors of the Italian people’s behaviour. In fact, over the last 12 months there has been an increase of 50% in the number of respondents who claimed to be ‘extremely attentive to sustainability matters’. Moreover, 45% of respondents think that our peninsula has become more aware of sustainability than in the past. The reasons are multiple: the future of our planet, the preservation of future generations, but above all, we want to be better humans with a better health.

Developments and growing awareness of environmental issues are an unstoppable driving force in the search for new materials, products and functions. Here are some examples.

The vocation of recycling

Soldi Design is an eco-design brand committed to waste separation items. Its mission is to create industrial models that preserve the planet's ecosystem. Based on the observation that 25% of plastic is dispersed in nature (WWF international report), while the annual production of virgin plastic alone results in 1.8 billion tonnes  of CO2 emissions, it launches its circular economy and eco-design project: recycled and regenerated plastic, new eco-sustainable materials and experimentation with natural bioplastics for green and sustainable design. Itwill present its exclusive new collections at Homi Milano.

Fashion hydration industry

24Bottles® is the Italian design brand created in 2013 to reduce the impact of disposable plastic bottles: now the reusable bottle is a must-have. The new collection is enriched with inspirations and stylistic details. Because good design can "change things for the better and help people improve their health, quality of life and appearance, in an environmentally friendly way".

Creative reuse

13RiCreaa luxury eco-design company, recovers materials from industrial and artisan production processes that are no longer usable due to their small size or because they have reached the end of their life cycle.

Scraps of nautical cloth, coated PVC used for tensile structures, gazebos, truck tarpaulins, become coloured petals used as coverings for outdoor seats and vases; scraps of felt from the production of shoe insoles are transformed into roses or curls to cover pouffes, armchairs and sofas.

A recovery that gives life to new objects by exploiting all peculiarities - sometimes technically extraordinary - of these clean, undervalued materials, considered as waste, yet promoting the circular economy.

Integrated mobility

The project Sadler Bike is the result of a meeting between two young people from Campania: industrial designer Gianluca Sada, who graduated with a thesis on ‘the biking’ at Turin Politecnico, and Luca Scudieri from Gruppo Adler, a leading company in the design and manufacture of carbon fibre components for the aeronautical and automotive sectors. The Sadler bike wants to pave the way for a new integrated mobility system at a time of growing environmental awareness and eco-sustainable philosophy. 100% made in Italy, a carbon fibre frame, spokeless wheels, handcrafted leather trim and wooden crankcase. Folded with one movement, it can be easily transported in a trolley.

Zero-maintenance green

Moss Design offers plant-based solutions for interior design and decoration. These are vegetable walls and paintings, real decorative elements made by the expert hands of craftsmen who have made "green" their personal mission. Stabilised greenery requires no maintenance, no water and no light and has the ability to improve the acoustics, reduce noise levels and provide a pleasant feeling of well-being.

The plant picture

Created by VDA" Maravegie" is a refined vegetal composition of lichens, mosses and stabilised roses which, with the addition of birch branches, twines around a Murano glass decoration created by master craftsmen. Stabilised flowers do not need water or light, are no heating or air conditioning sensitive; their ideal environment is indoors, away from sunlight and external temperatures.