Meet the Designers at the Forefront of Hong Kong’s Emerging Sustainable Design Movement

Insights
Written By François Hurtaud

On October 7, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco hosted a webinar featuring two Hong Kong-based designers who are at the forefront of Hong Kong’s sustainable design movement.

Jeanine Hsu, a Hong Kong/Austrian designer and founder of niin, together with François Hurtaud, had a lively discussion with moderator Minna Tao, a San Francisco Bay Area community leader and Vice President and Director of Community and Business Initiatives at Recology.

Jeanine and Francois discussed how they integrated earth-first practices into all aspects of their design-manufacturing businesses and how other designers can minimize their impact on the environment without compromising their style. The audience had a glimpse of their inspiring and beautiful creations, from various jewelry lines to eco-friendly toothbrush. They also shared their take on the advantages of setting up their businesses in Hong Kong.

François Hurtaud

François Hurtaud begun his design career in 2008 as a studio designer after graduating from Masters Degree in Advanced Studies in Cross-cultural Design at Shanghai University and a Bachelor in Industrial Design at L’Ecole de Design de Nantes in France.

Hurtaud then headed the design force for several consumer goods companies where he demonstrates his understanding of the power of social and sustainable design, cross-cultural and the precarious balance of function and form in luxury design and production.

Since his childhood, Hurtaud has always had the passion for art, science and technology; passions that he cultivated and improved through formal educations and apprenticeship in design. Having the chance of working in different countries, agencies and companies, exploring multitude aspects of designs, he now thinks of design as an equation, trying to find creative solutions to balance between functionality & aesthetics, sustainability & profitability, viability & legitimacy. Hurtaud’s designs has received multiple international design awards and accolades, such as Good Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, German Design Award and A' Design Award.

francoishurtaud.com
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