The Toothbrush With Interchangeable Bristles Saves Both Money and Resources
On average, people go through 2 to 3 toothbrushes a year that end up in a landfill. But this ingenious toothbrush design allows users to simply swap the bristles out and replace them with a fresh set. After all, the sturdy plastic handle is usually as good as new, and it's simply wasteful to discard the whole tool when only the bristles wear out. We're not sure how it's taken so long for this design to hit the shelves.
According to users, you don't have to worry about the bristle head accidentally shifting while you brush your teeth; you have to use your fingers to actually snap the replacement head out of the socket.
A Nursing Home That Offers Its Residents an Indoor Town Center
Most of us hope nursing homes are equipped with adequate amenities to ensure the comfort and well-being of their senior residents. But this Ohio-based nursing home has gone one step further in creating an immersive town center. This indoor plaza is decked out with a fully functioning bar, wellness center, and cinema showing films twice a day, every day. It’s bound to keep the residents busy at all hours.
Based on a 50s theme, it also boasts of classic cars and retro diners playing classic tunes from the 50s. If only all assisted living facilities could be as fun.
A Dispenser Providing Free Period Products for Unprepared School Girls
Growing up can be hard at the best of times, but some schools have taken an initiative to help ease the burden by installing a “period pack” dispenser in the girl’s bathrooms. Best of all, it comes at no cost to the students, who simply have to press a button to access the sanitary products. The period pack offers both pads and tampons to suit everyone’s preferences, and it can be used totally anonymously.
For these students, remembering to pack feminine hygiene products is one less thing to worry about and best of all, it isn’t hidden behind a paywall.
Painted Lines on the Wall to Help Drivers Park Accurately
This idea is so good that we're not sure why it's not the norm. Drivers will be all too familiar with the challenge of parking perfectly inside a designated spot, not just because it might be a tight squeeze for the car, but also because the line markings can be hard to see. This car park has done a smart thing by extending the lines onto the wall infront.
For tight spaces like these, drivers need all the help they can get. But whether they pay attention to the marks or instead choose to park recklessly is another story.
High-Pressure Faucet That Sprays Out a Water Cone to Prevent Backsplash
Turning the faucet to the highest pressure can be a real pain when water splashes all over the kitchen. But the designer of this sink sprayer created a clever solution to the age-old backsplash problem. When you go to turn the tap on to its "tough spot" remover, it shoots out a concentrated stream surrounded by a splash-blocking sphere of water. It make look like something out of alien, but it's really easy to use once you get the hang of it.
For those lucky enough to have this feature at home, countertop splatters and soaked clothes are a thing of the past. If only it were a household norm.
Cafeteria Trays That Are Designed to Fit Properly on a Table
This design change proves that not all solutions have to be complex. Rather than relying on the usual rectangular cafeteria trays, this university offers a space-saving design that allows students to comfortably sit and eat with each other. There's no more tray balancing acts or feeling worried that something's going to fall, and no one has to dread sitting at the edge of a table anymore. Everyone can eat their lunch in peace now that the trays fit together like a jigsaw puzzle!
University lunches can be more chill and stress-free for everyone with this thoughtful design. Interestingly, it actually weighs less than the usual rectangular ones, making them that bit easier to carry.
A Toothpaste Tube That Clearly Explains What Each Ingredient Is Good for
All personal care or cosmetic products have to list their ingredients, but it can be hard to know what everything does without doing a ton of research. In the case of one toothpaste company, they've simplified the often-intimidating ingredients section so that their customers can be better informed, and at no cost. It's incredibly reassuring when a brand is completely transparent, and we wish more brands would follow suit.
Not only do they provide information about where each ingredient comes from, they also list what each ingredient does and therefore why it is included.
An Oven That Remembers What Time You Start Cooking Incase You Forget
How many times have you put food in the oven, only to forget to set a timer or make a note of when you started cooking? It happens to the best of us, but with this neat oven feature, we could finally relax. This oven has a built-in foolproof system that automatically records the cooking start time, so you can have one less thing to stress about in the kitchen.
It doesn't record the time the oven turns on; instead, after it reaches the preheat temperature, it waits for someone to open the door and close it again. Only then does it record the time.
This Supermarket Offers Free Unwanted Vegetables to Help People Feed Their Pets.
A supermarket in Germany is doing its bit to reduce food waste by offering vegetable pieces to customers free of charge, for them to take home and feed to their pets. The vegetables they offer are still very much fresh, they're just the leafy green bits and pieces that are usually discarded before being sold to customers. Think carrot fronds or broccoli stems - delicious bites for our furry friends.
They include some pictures of household pets that can be fed the greens on the side of the box, making it extra clear which animals would benefit from them. It's truly a great initiative.
This University Has Slides so You Can Skip Waiting for the Elevator
A university in Germany is reconnecting people with their inner child after installing slides in the faculty of mathematics. The Technische Universität in Munich offers students and teachers a safe alternative to elevators, significantly cutting down the time it takes to get to the ground floor. But the best thing about this quirky design addition is that it adds a bit of fun into everyone's daily routines. And let's face it, mathematicians need it the most!
The slides were designed to bring people right outside the cafeteria on the ground floor of the building, making it the perfect mode of transportation at lunch time. It's a win-win situation.
Packaging That Lets You Know When the Meat Inside Has Spoiled
Imagine if you didn't have to guess how long that meat in your fridge would last before going bad. In Japan, some meat labels are so advanced that they can actually tell you if the meat is spoiled or not. The labels react to ammonia, one of the gases released in spoiled meat, and turns the label a dark blue color that makes it impossible to scan the barcode.
So not only does this ingenius packaging tell you if the meat in your fridge is still fresh, but it also prevents accidental purchases at the supermarket that would ultimately go to waste.
Toilets That Have Baby Holders so You Can Use the Restroom in Peace
Parents with little ones will be all too familiar with how challenging it can be to use a public restroom. Clean or child-safe surfaces in which to put a baby or a toddler usually don't exist, leaving many parents attempting to hold their infant with one arm while trying to do their business. Some toilets in East Asia, however, are equipped with a super secure baby holder, and we can't help but wish they were adopted globally.
This handy invention allows parents to take a bathroom break without leaving their child unattended, sitting on the floor, or roaming around. If only it were the standard for every lavatory facility!
A Traffic Playground Where Kids Learn How to Safely Ride Bikes Around Cars
One playground in Copenhagen provides a safe and interactive street environment for children to learn essential road skills. Here, kids can figure out how to navigate roads and intersections while riding around on their bicycles, gaining experience and honing their abilities to ensure greater safety on the streets. It's ideal for little ones who have yet to fully grasp the rules of the road (and would probably do good for some adults, too).
Traffic playgrounds exist in a few countries like Germany and Canada, but they haven't gone global. Child safety should be a top priority, so here's hoping we see more of them soon!
A Park Swing That's Wheelchair Accessible so Everyone Can Join the Fun
It's a frequently overlooked reality that many park playgrounds are not inclusive enough for people with special needs. This makes the introduction of a wheelchair-accessible playground swing particularly uplifting news. Specifically designed for children or adults with disabilities, it ensures that no one gets left out. The secure design accommodates the weight of a wheelchair and safely locks the wheels behind a barrier, so everyone can have fun without and added stress.
Sitting in an average swing isn't possible for a lot of people with special needs, so this wide swing with a heavier weight capacity ensures that all of us can swing to our heart's content!
Local Pantry of Free Food for People to Take What They Need
The world would be a much better place if we had more local free food pantries. Provided for by other members of the community, this food pantry stores any unwanted food items and offers them up to any individuals in the area at no cost. It's meant to serve as a support system for the locals who need it, without asking for anything in return. Cereals, tins, cans - basically anything with a long shelf-life is welcome in the pantry.
Some communities offer something similar, like a community library, where books can be donated or swapped out freely. What better way is there for neighbors to pool together their resources?
Baby Onesie With a Different Colored Snap Helps Parents Align the Buttons
Time can be of the essence when it comes to changing your baby's diaper, so there's nothing more annoying than accidentally misaligning the buttons. It means that they have to be undone and redone all over again, wearing everyone's patience thin. That's why this thoughtful onesie was designed with busy parents in mind – the center snaps are a different color from the others, making it alot easier to get it right every time!
It's such a mindful design detail that we wish we saw it in adult clothing as well. A small yet useful change like this could ultimately ease the act of getting dressed in the morning.
A Fruit Sticker That Tells You When It's Ripe Based on Its Color
This inspired design choice doesn't depend on some fancy technology, which makes it even more strange that more places don't adopt it. It simply displays what color the fruit in question should be when it's ripe and therefore ready to be eaten. Taking the guesswork out of determining whether a fruit is fully developed would make everyone's life a whole lot easier, and would probably save people from a lot of food waste.
The papaya sticker shows a gradient array of expected colors, but makes it clear which shade would be the ideal time to tuck in to the delicious seasonal fruit.
This Library Lets Out Cake Pans so Locals Can Experiment With Baking
Every size or shape of cake pan imaginable is available at this community library, where locals can check out whichever tins they like! In addition to offering a huge array of options, they also provide written instructions about ideal baking times and temperatures. Never again would someone in this town need to waste money on a cake pan they'd only ever use once, only to put it at the back of a cupboard and forget about it for years.
That's bound to save these lucky locals a ton of money, as cake moulds usually cost a fair amount. And with such an abundance of tins, it's unlikely that there's a long waiting list.
Pencils You Can Plant in Soil to Turn Into an Edible Plant
This resourceful idea fills us with hope for the future. Forget recycled pencils - this design takes it one step further by embedding small seeds at the base of the pencil. When it becomes too short to comfortably use, you can simply plant the pencil nub directly in soil, water it for a few days, and watch it sprout into an edible plant. It even comes in a variety of lead thickness to cater to the needs of the many.
Between tomato, coriander, chilli, mustard or fenugreek seeds, you're bound to find a pencil to suit your appetite. Just remember not to get ahead of yourself by chewing on the ends!
A Sewn-In Microfiber Cloth Means You Can Always Clean Your Glasses
This clothing manufacturer has taken to sewing in a complimentary microfiber cloth on the inside of their shirts, so their customers should never have to endure smudgy glasses again. It's such a simple yet practical design detail that ensures the utmost convenience for a glasses wearer. Whether someone is wearing reading glasses or sunglasses, everyone's bound to need a clean and handy microfiber cloth at some point throughout their day.
Talk about knowing your target market. One thing to keep in mind about this shirt is that it shouldn't be cleaned with fabric softener, as it may change the effectiveness of the microfiber material.
Tapping a Senior Citizens Card That Allows for More Time Crossing the Street
Singapore has a neat option at traffic lights for citizens who might need a little more time crossing the road. Senior citizens or people with disabilities have a card they can tap, which extends the pedestrian crossing time by a little. Not only does it make crossing the street less stressful, but it also makes it much safer for everyone involved. If only other countries adopted this system, too.
We love design changes that cater to more vulnerable members of society and find a way to make their lives better. Traffic light cards for people who need them should be implemented around the world.
Projected Street Markings so You Can See What the Snow Covers up
Some areas of Finland are so consistently cold that it's not unusual for visible street markings to be covered in snow and totally obscured. But people have come up with a creative solution to the problem by incorporating projected street markings for when the weather takes a turn. Not every city needs it, but for those that do, it's an effective strategy that ensures that people can stay informed on the important information.
What better way to utilize snow than as a backdrop for a light projection that enhances road users' information? The Netherlands also considered implementing this idea, but they never quite got around to it.
An Airport Machine That Teaches You How to Perform CPR
With large wait times at airports, a machine that teaches you how to perform CPR is the perfect way to pass the time. With the heavy footfall experienced at airports and on planes, this machine probably has a higher chance of saving someone's life. These days, you don't even need a qualified instructor to learn all the basics, and it won't even cost you much time. It's totally free to use and to practice on as many times as needed.
The machine features a CPR training device designed to mimic a human body, allowing people to practice techniques needed to resuscitate someone. If you aren't good enough, the machine gives feedback to help you improve.
Work Stations That Provide Parents With a Play Pen for Little Ones
One public library decided to invest in the happiness of their employees by providing work stations with attached play pens for babies. That way, parents and caregivers could carry out their job responsibilities without having to spend time away from their infant children, and in turn foster a greater sense of balance for their work and personal lives. In this scenario it would seem as though everyone walks away a winner.
Work stations like these would be invaluable for parents who are returning to the workplace after maternity or paternity leave. This way, they could transition back into work while still attending to their child's needs.
Miniature Blinds Sent to Potential Customers so They Can See It Before Buying
When one person ordered some sample paint color swatches from a blind manufacturer, they weren't expecting anything out of the ordinary. Instead, what they received through the mail was a miniature set of blinds in the finish they had requested, allowing them to better visualize the potential purchase. It may seem like a small insignificant detail, but it makes all the difference and probably almost-always results in a sale!
After all, if you were ever to need more blinds in the future, how could you not return to the manufacturer that gave something so seemingly insignificant as a sample such attention to detail?
A Bicycle Tools Station on a Bike Path for On-The-Go Maintenance
Realizing your bike has a problem while you're mid-transit is a tricky situation to be in, as more often than not, the journey continues and people's safety is put at risk. That's why this bicycle repair equipment station is perfectly situated on a bike path, and it's totally free to use. It even has a pump should you run into a flat tire, so all your bicycle maintenance needs should be covered.
It offers tons of different tools to cater to all sorts of cyclists' needs. Maybe if cities invested in more of these repair stations, more people would cycle.
A Shirt With Hidden Buttons to Prevent a Blouse Gap
Women with larger chests will know all about the dreaded button gap! Wearing a button-up top or blouse can lead to embarrassing moments, compromising the wearer's modesty with or without their knowledge. This shirt attempts to solve the issue by hiding twice as many buttons on the inner seam, providing more support and reducing the garment's stretch. There'll be no more revealing gaps between buttons and apparently, it works like a charm.
Being top heavy can make it hard to find clothes that fit in the first place, so when a manufacturer actually caters to this group, it's a huge relief for many.
Glowing Door Handle Stickers to Help You Find Your Way Around at Night
Glow-in-the-dark door handle stickers would be a great addition to most homes. Whether you get up in the middle of the night for a quick bathroom break, or your home suffers from a power outage, these low-intensity glowing stickers give just the right amount of light. They are dim enough not to disturb your sleep but bright enough to help you find the handle. That being said, it still might not be to everyone's taste.
They certainly make for a better alternative than scrambling to use a phone to light a path or turning on a bright room light, which can disrupt your sleepy state.
"Binge Boxes" From the Local Library to Keep You Busy All Weekend
If you ever find yourself bored on a Friday night with no weekend plans, you might want to pick up a movie "binge box" from the local library for a home film marathon. After all, not everyone is all that into reading, but this is a great way to engage with the community and keep libraries feeling up-to-date and relevant for the masses. It's like the good old days of Blockbusters all over again!
This setup allows people to choose from a selection of films and might make the decision-making process easier. From science fiction to sports classics, every film category is represented on the shelf.
Band-Aids Expand Their Skin-Tone Range for More Inclusive Representation
After a surprising amount of time, band-aids for different skin tones are finally making their way onto the shelves at Target. Typically, they have only been produced in colors that match people with fair skin. Now, they come in a wider variety of shades so consumers can better match their skin tone. The more inclusive designs will help meet the needs of more customers, and who doesn't love that.
But, not every skin tone is represented, and if you still struggle to find a band-aid that matches your skin tone, you may be better off buying the kids ones with fun print designs.
A Mini Golf Course Uses Biodegradable Balls for When They Fall in Water
When this mini golf course opened up on a seaside location, they found a way to overcome their golf ball dilemma that also benefitted the environment. Instead of traditional golf balls, they crafted custom ones entirely from fish food, which intentionally drop into the sea once it reaches the 18th hole. This way, players leave feeling like they've positively contributed to the underwater ecosystem, and presumably the business feels good about impact, too.
It means that this mini golf course goes through a lot of golf balls, but considering the overall ecological advantage, it sounds like a well-considered trade-off.
This Supermarket Grows It's Own Vegetables for Even Fresher Produce
This supermarket is paving the way for the future of farming by growing vegetables in their very own little greenhouse. Complete with pink LED grow lights, this self-reliance allows the supermarket to experiment with growing different types of seasonal vegetables all year round, enabling them to tailor their ingredients to specific salads. It sounds like a smart business move that more supermarkets could benefit from. Perhaps it really is the future of farming!
This idea takes the idea of locally-grown vegetables to another level. While it may pose competition for farmers around the country, it reduces transportation costs to essentially zero.
A Pump Bottle Made to Get Out Every Last Drop
It may have taken a long time to get to this point, but finally, a pump bottle has been designed to extract as much product as possible. It features a unique shape that sees the body taper into a cone-like base. The base collects the remaining product at the tip and the pump reaches right into the bottom. It seems like finally, someone has designed a bottle that truly gives you your money's worth.
But more manufacturers are yet to implement a similar design, probably because it's not in their interest if customers use their product down to the very last drop.
Miniature Tents on Shelves Give Shoppers a Sense of What They're Dealing With
We hope whoever came up with this idea was handsomely rewarded. Not all stores have ample space to display camping tents in all their glory, and even for those that do, it can take up too much space that would otherwise be better utilized. That's why these miniature tent models that give shoppers a sense of what they're dealing with are a great idea. The fact that they're utterly adorable doesn't hurt, either.
The fact that they happen to be the perfect size for a cat or small dog has us wondering why they don't sell these as well. They'd probably be a hit!
A Board That Helps Children With Special Needs Communicate With Others
A playground in Ireland erected a communication board to help kids better interact with one another when verbal communication is challenging. Especially useful for kids with autism, hearing loss, or language difficulties, this visual board encourages children to point on the board instead of saying words. Not all kids can express themselves equally, and a tool like this can really help bridge that gap. If only they were rolled out in playgrounds all around the world.
Interestingly, it's also said to be useful for children who speak other languages. Ultimately, it helps foster support and inclusion amongst little ones on the playground.
A Bathroom for Service Animals That Can't Go Potty Outside
The bathroom needs of a service animal are often overlooked, but airports are starting to do more to cater to the needs of our four-legged friends. It's becoming more common to see these "dog relief" rooms, as canines can go several hours without going outside. That's why it's so important for places like airports to accommodate their requirements. After all, a service dog can't be expected to do their job properly if their personal needs aren't met.
We're sure that service dogs would much prefer to have the freedom to go and find a bush, but when access to the outdoors is limited, these relief rooms will do.
Supermarket Shopping Carts That Have a Crate to Put Your Pet
For people who need to pick up a few groceries but don't want to tie their dog up outside the shop, this pet-friendly shopping cart might be the perfect solution. If your dog is small enough, you could simply put them in the "dog house" crate and go about your business. It shouldn't bother other shoppers who might have food hygiene concerns, as the dog wouldn't be freely roaming around.
After all, no one likes to hear the sounds of a pup pining after its owner. If only these were rolled out on a global scale, there'd be a lot more happy shoppers.
A Tire That Automatically Measures Tread Depth Without the Need for Other Tools
This smart tire is putting all other tires to shame! It has a built-in tread depth measuring system, making a driver's life much easier and safer in the long run. Not only does it make the need for other tools and devices obsolete, but it also ensures that drivers know if their car is at risk due to insufficient tread depth. If so, they can take the necessary measures.
Having tread depth automatically measured may help prolong the life of the tires as well, so there's really no downside. We can't wait until this technology becomes more standardized.
A Permanent Street Bicycle Pump Positioned Right by the Bike Lock Area
This bike pump was designed with cyclists in mind. This city installed a permanent bicycle pump in the most convenient place, right where cyclists can't miss it. Barely even a meter away from the bike like area, this pump has been drilled, bolted, and cemented it in to the ground in order to prevent theft. It would be ideal if more cities followed suit and made bike maintenance more accessible to the public.
They can also be found around some college campuses across Europe, which sounds equally useful for students on the go. But Sweden appears to have invested in public bike pumps more than most.