Only 10% of the world’s population has regular access to food, water and shelter. This disturbing figure provided the insight for the Design for the Other 90% exhibition, which showed at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City until September.

The exhibition drew attention to the fact that the majority of the world’s designers target their products towards the richest percentage of the global population.

In view of this statistic, the exhibition showcased designers from around the world who actively consider more cost effective ways to increase access to these products and services.

The LifeStraw, by Torben Vestergaard Frandsen, was one of the most remarkable products on show.

An invention that could become one of the greatest life-savers in history, it is a hand-held plastic pipe filter that costs just a few dollars and turns dirty water into clean, drinkable water.

cooperhewitt.org
vestergaard-frandsen.com

To get the whole coverage of the expo, read issue 27 of DQ magazine, in newsagents now.

Image caption: The LifeStraw in use