Directed by Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (IDB) and jointly organized by Taiwan Design Center (TDC) and W TAIPEI, Trash Re-design TDC X W TAIPEI project has launched on May 30. The opening ceremony was held at W TAIPEI, with the participation of the 8 elected designer teams (9 designers). Energy conservation and carbon reduction have become the focus of contemporary design because of the changing climate and rising global temperature. This green design project combines material science, innovation and design, mass production, and international marketing channels, marking the first interdisciplinary cooperation in Taiwan. Furthermore, it will also serve as a new cooperation platform for Taiwan’s local designers and international brands.

The Trash Re-design TDC X W TAIPEI aims at transforming the used plastic bottles and bath accessories produced by W TAIPEI, into green materials R&D by global innovator Miniwiz. Designers will apply these materials into new products that can be re-used by the hotel implementing a recycling and reuse program. The press conference was held on May 30, 2013 at W TAIPEI. On the day, Jang-Hwa Leu (呂正華), deputy director general of IDB, Cary M. Gray, General Manager of W TAIPEI, K.M. Tony Chang, CEO of TDC, and talented Taiwanese designers, including Vii chen (陳如薇), Yujui Chou (周育潤), Cyc Chen (陳忠郁), Chuncheng Hsu (許竣程), Flora Tsai (蔡佩樺), Wanting Liao (廖婉廷), Yifei Chen (陳儀霏), Fanny Kuo (郭芳伶), Ian Yen (顏文豪), participated in opening ceremony.

As a leading innovative lifestyle and design hotel brand, W TAIPEI has devoted themselves to the “Green Project - Design from Waste.” The hotel has been encouraging the customers to reduce waste and recycle materials in a dedicated bin. The waste then recycled by Miniwiz’s assistance to be re-produced into new products. One of the items W TAIPEI has chosen for the project is water bottles as more than 300,000 water bottles are used in the hotel every year. This resulted in the hotel’s Green Project. The hotel launched the project and resorted to the creativity and innovation of Taiwan’s local designers in hopes of finding the best solution to minimize the pollution caused by the hotel’s plastic waste. “This is a truly win-win sustainability practice for our guests and our hotel,” shared by Cary M. Gray, General Manager of W Taipei.

In recent years, IDB has been devoting itself to assisting Taiwan’s design industry to enter the international market. After organizing the 2011 IDA Congress, IDB has developed a network for international design cooperation and drawn the attention of international brands. This gives rise to the cooperation with W TAIPEI. IDB wishes to increase the visibility and the strength of Taiwanese designers in the international community, exert greater influence, and promote green design as Taiwan’s soft power in the global market.

Since May 23, the 8 elected designer teams (9 designers) had joined a design workshop. During the 4-month work shop, TDC, W TAIPEI, and the designers will develop new designer products based on the needs of the hotel. The preliminary results will be presented in September at the Taiwan Design Expo. According to W TAIPEI, customers will have the chance to use the products developed in this project if the project proceeds smoothly. This project really bears significance and deserves our attention to help the world.

About W Taipei

W Taipei, which opened to the world on Valentine’s Day of 2011, is ideally situated in the midst of the buzzing Central Business District of Xinyi.  Destined to become a stylish meeting place for Taipei’s trendsetters, business leaders and discerning world travelers, W Taipei is one of the city’s largest luxury hotels, with 405 guestrooms showcasing spectacular urban views and views of the city’s iconic Taipei 101 building. The hotel’s design theme, “Nature Electrified” underscores all of its key features, from the signature restaurants and lounges to guestrooms that are each designed as private, quiet sanctuaries filled with natural materials, lush amenities and modern conveniences.  For reservations and more information, please visit www.wtaipei.com .

About Miniwiz

MINIWIZ is a global innovator, dedicated to sustainable solutions through Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. We believe great design and performance in sustainable technology can intersect with and enhance important niches in today's consumer lifestyles. MINIWIZ is an all-in-one design / engineering / manufacturing / product marketing company that creates value through innovative applications of existing and future green technology, translating state-of-the-art sustainable technology into real world practices and delivering well-designed green products at competitive prices. For reservations and more information, please visit www.miniwiz.com/miniwiz/index.php .