Need to Know   03 : 04 : 18
Sweets Hotel, Amsterdam. Photography by Mirjam Bleeker

Need to Know
03 : 04 : 18

Sweet Hotel takes up residence in former bridge houses, Fenty Beauty collaborates with BlameItOnKway, M&H Plastics develops sustainable plastic.

1. Sweet Hotel’s suites are scattered across Amsterdam 2. Fenty Beauty celebrates male beauty 3. A tooth-mounted sensor that tracks food intake 4. Plastic specialists develop sugar cane-based packaging 5. London struggles to retain the youth 6. Thought-starter: What will the future school look like?

1. Sweet Hotel’s suites are scattered across Amsterdam

Sweets Hotel, Amsterdam. Photography by Mirjam Bleeker
Sweets Hotel, Amsterdam. Photography by Mirjam Bleeker
Sweets Hotel, Amsterdam. Photography by Mirjam Bleeker
Sweets Hotel, Amsterdam. Photography by Mirjam Bleeker

The Netherlands – The newly launched brand, co-founded by architecture office Space&Matter, project development firm Grayfield and the founders of Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy, comprises individual rooms located across Amsterdam’s multiple bridge houses.

The former residences of the bridge controllers – whose role has now been made redundant by technology – house the decentralised hotel’s 28 suites, each of which has a maximum capacity of two guests.

‘It is going to be a very small hotel, that is true. But the idea of a hotel dotted through different neighbourhoods of Amsterdam, with beds that all have a canal view, is amazing and really makes up for the effort,’ the brand explains in a press release.

By integrating the hotel into the fabric of the city in this way, initiatives such as Sweets Hotel and Hanare enable consumers to immerse themselves more fully in the local community.

2. Fenty Beauty celebrates male beauty

My Fenty, My Mood with BlameItOnKway

US – Since its launch Rihanna’s beauty brand has put inclusivity at the core of its values. In its latest advert, online entertainer BlameItOnKway explores different components of his feminine side to promote five Fenty lipsticks.

The comedian plays his character Titi, who he has previously said ‘represents women who get overlooked, don’t feel pretty’. Designed for Instagram, the short humorous film celebrates the tagline My Fenty, My Mood. And while some have criticised the use of a comedian rather than a male beauty blogger, it still represents a rare marketing moment with a man at the centre of a cosmetics campaign.

The social media video is part of Fenty Beauty's continuing campaign to challenge the industry’s notions about who can wear make-up. For more, see our microtrend The Make-up Movement.

3. A tooth-mounted sensor that tracks food intake

Boston – Researchers at Tufts University, Massachusetts, have engineered a wearable sensor that tracks food consumption from the surface of your tooth.

The 2mm squared device is formed of a bio-responsive layer as well as two outer gold layers that act as antennae. The bio-reactive layer reacts to the chemicals and nutrients from the food, causing the electrical properties in the layer to shift. It then sends transmission waves via the antenna to a mobile device, enabling researchers to identify the types of foods consumed.

At present, the tool can absorb information on glucose, salt and alcohol intake. In a paper published in the scientific journal Advanced Materials, the researchers note that the sensor also has the ability to detect and record a wider range of nutrients and physiological states. As such, it could represent a new wave of self-quantification and personal optimisation when it comes to our diets.

Tooth-mounted sensor by Tufts University

4. Plastic specialists develop sugar cane-based packaging

Bulldog packaging by RPC M&H Plastics

UK – M&H Plastics, which has worked on packaging for brands such as No7 and Toni & Guy, has launched a new range of sustainable plastic packaging sourced from sugar cane.

The sugar cane is grown on a sustainable farm in Brazil. By using degraded pasture land, growing the crop helps return the soil to health for future farming. Once grown, the sugar cane is transformed into ethanol that is later used to create a bio-plastic version of polyethylene. The material is formed into flexible tubes and bottles, which recently won the Packaging Innovation 2018 award.

Bio-plastic is increasing in visibility with Lego pledging in March to implement plant-based bio-plastic into all of its ranges by 2030. The launch of the UK government’s environmental strategy to reduce plastic waste over the next 25 years also highlights the need for brands to reconsider the use of traditional plastic as a material.

5. London struggles to retain the youth

London – The youth of London don’t like living in the capital city and 44% plan to leave as soon as possible, according to a study by Voxburner. ‘There is now even more of a focus on youth pilgrimage as we see young people moving to European cities,’ explains Jamie Brett, creative project manager of Youth Club.

High rent and housing costs is not the only reason that younger people are choosing to leave the city. A majority (83%) of participants stated that pollution was an issue, and 77% raised concerns about safety. In contrast to Nike’s Nothing Beats a Londoner campaign, which celebrates people’s love of the city, brands must also recognise the downsides of urbanism, how it is affecting London’s youth and consider what they can do to help urbanites.

6. Thought-starter: What will the future school look like?

As parents become increasingly frustrated by Silicon Valley’s attempts to disrupt the classroom, Josh Walker explores the educational models that do not rely on governments or technology giants.

With trust in the mega-systems of Silicon Valley nearing a tipping point, and cuts to education funding rising, consumers are looking to new educational platforms that offer alternative and holistic ways of learning.

WeWork's WeGrow initiative aims to rethink ‘the whole idea of what an education means’ by teaching ‘conscious entrepreneurship’ through the verticals of Mind, Spirit, Body and the Arts. Alongside lessons in literacy, mathematics and science, the initiative will offer classes on yoga, meditation and farm-to-table cooking.

New educational establishments that take a more civic-minded and holistic approach to education are emerging, and applying this thinking to school design. In Albania, Stefano Boeri Architetti has designed three structures that will host five schools, which will be open every day of the year, 24 hours a day.

To understand how these models will affect your future consumers, read the full Alternative Education Market.

AltSchool by A+I, New York. Photography by Magda Biernat
Discover More News
SXSW 2025: Manifesting a better future for all

News

SXSW 2025: Manifesting a better future for all

SXSW is a festival of future-thinking, but how can we truly anticipate what’s next? In a thought-provoking session, Rohit Bhargava, bestselling aut...
Design : Technology : Society
Netflix opens new restaurant residency in Las Vegas

News

Netflix opens new restaurant residency in Las Vegas

Netflix is expanding its entertainment empire into immersive dining with Netflix Bites Vegas, a year-long residency at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Food & Drink : Pop-culture & Media : Retail
Stat: Tennis participation surges in the US

News

Stat: Tennis participation surges in the US

Tennis participation in the US has hit a record high for the fifth consecutive year, with 25.7m individuals picking up a racket in 2024 – an 8% inc...
Sports & Leisure : Society : Health & Wellness
SXSW 2025: MIT’s vision for the next era of innovation

News

SXSW 2025: MIT’s vision for the next era of innovation

SXSW has evolved from a music and film festival into a global stage for technology and media innovation. With that transformation, it’s only fittin...
Design : Technology : Climate Change
1X unveils soft-touch humanoid robot Neo Gamma for home chores

News

1X unveils soft-touch humanoid robot Neo Gamma for home chores

Norwegian robotics firm 1X has unveiled Neo Gamma, a humanoid robot designed for home use, wrapped in beige knitwear to blend seamlessly into livin...
Design : Technology : Society
Stat: Supermarkets are bringing luxury dining into the home

News

Stat: Supermarkets are bringing luxury dining into the home

As rising costs force high-end restaurants to close, including Le Gavroche and Pollen Street Social in London, British consumers are turning to sup...
Retail : Food & Drink : Finance
ITB Berlin 2025: Digital wallets and India’s rapid outbound tourism growth

News

ITB Berlin 2025: Digital wallets and India’s rapid outbound tourism growth

Digital identities and India’s rapid outbound tourism growth are hot topics for ITB Berlin 2025.
Travel & Hospitality : Global Events : Digital Identity
Foresight Friday: Alice Crossley, senior foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Alice Crossley, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, we wrap up the topics, issues, ideas and viral moments everyone’s been discussing. This week, senior foresight analyst Alice Crossley...
Fashion : Technology : Sustainability
Stat: Spring break travel costs soar, but demand remains high

News

Stat: Spring break travel costs soar, but demand remains high

According to Florida-based Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison platform, the average trip taken during the peak spring break period from 12–...
Society : Travel & Hospitality : Luxury
ITB Berlin 2025: The future of the travel experience and YouTube’s influence on tourism

News

ITB Berlin 2025: The future of the travel experience and YouTube’s influence on tourism

Day two of ITB Berlin 2025 provided insights into the shifting landscape of global travel, with industry leaders highlighting the rise of immersive...
Travel : Itb Berlin : ITB
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN