In this episode, Paola Antonelli speaks with Mexican designer Fernando Laposse, whosepractice focuses on the culture and the materials of non-urban communities, especially in his native Mexico.A product design graduate from Central Saint Martins in London, Fernando harnesses the potential of humble plant fibers like sisal, loofah, and corn leaves that are part of the tradition of rural communities and revives it to reveal their historical and cultural significance in relation to specific locations. His interest in Mexico’s ecosystems has led him to find new ways of transforming natural materials such as corn husks into laminated marquetry used for wall coverings, lighting, and furniture, on whose production he actively collaborates with local villagers. This allows him not only to create local job opportunities but also to shed light on the challenges they face in our increasingly globalized world.Through his innovative projects, Fernando addresses pressing issues such as the environmental crisis, loss of biodiversity, community fragmentation, migration, and the adverse impact of global trade on local agriculture and food culture. By documenting these issues and celebrating the transformative power of design, he provides both insight and potential solutions.You’ll find images of the projects described by Fernando in this episode on Design Emergency's IG grid @design.emergency. And you can tune into this episode of Design Emergency and the others on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Acast, and other podcast platforms. Thank you for listening. Please join us for future episodes when we will interview other design leaders who, like Fernando Laposse, are helping to build a better world in different fields and different parts of our planet.Hosted by Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.