Allbirds Face Mask

The industry brief ‘Allbirds in our current climate’ is looking into our generation’s most pressing issues of climate change, climate activism/justice, and inclusivity.

The project aim was refined to ‘design a product that incorporates hemp for an Allbirds consumer involved in activism against climate change.’ How an Allbirds product may look like for consumers protesting at the front of a climate march was also explored.

Hemp

In the early definition stage of the project, I decided to go down the route of material sustainability and emission reduction. Research was conducted into natural materials and carbon sinks. Trees are one of earth’s best defenses against climate change. They suck and sequester carbon dioxide into their trunks and roots, mitigating the greenhouse effect which causes global warming. From my research, I discovered that Hemp is up to 400% more efficient in CO2 absorption than any forest or commercial crop. A ton of hemp absorbs 1.63 tons of CO2 and yields four times more dry biomass compared to an average forest. Hemp crops are also ready for harvest only 2-3 months after planting. Hemp is a fantastic material for a face mask as it is breathable and uses up to four times less water to manufacture compared with cotton while needing very minimal to no pesticides. Hemp is also very sustainable as it can be upcycled at its end of life or biodegraded in residential composts. Hemp is also protective against UV rays, feels light and soft against the face, and doesn’t cost the earth. Because Allbirds love working with natural and renewable materials, choosing hemp was a no-brainer as it fits in perfectly with the company’s ethos.

Moodboard

Final Design

The final design was a result of going through the design process. From research, ideation, prototyping, and achieving the specifications and objectives set out in the brief. The final design is a two-layered Hemp mask. The string is also made out of hemp, and the cord locks for adjusting the string are made out of 3D-printed ABS. In industry, the cord locks will be injection molded for mass manufacturing. The SweetFoam pattern is an Allbirds design feature hidden in some of their shoes’ foam padding. I enlarged these fun shapes, and they are screen-printed on top of the fabric and can be embroidered if needed. The tongues are made out of hemp fabric scraps and are sewn on. The left tongue has -0.04KG CO2E written on it. This represents the amount of carbon the hemp mask has stored throughout its lifetime, making it carbon negative. The other tongue features the Allbirds logo and hemp icon. I like this small but detailed illustration as it lets the user know straight away which company made the product and what material it was made of. The hemp icon is very distinctive and recognisable. Although it could also be misinterpreted as the cannabis icon, what’s important is that it stands out and sparks that initial conversation with people.

Situational Shot

Greta Thunberg wearing the mask while protesting at the front of a climate march, as described in the brief.