Ideas
This article originally appeared on Lost at E Minor.
Some items around the house have remained pretty much the same, serving us the same function over and over again. Take the humble rubber band, for instance. They have been around since the 1600s and were patented in England way back in 1845. And they have always been circular. But not anymore.
Tokyo and Milan-based design firm Nendo have designed a quirky cube of a rubber band. Oki Sato, the lead designer, said, “The geometrical shapes make the bands easy to find in a drawer and easy to pick up.” But there’s a price to pay for such style in something so utilitarian. A pack of three is sold for 1080 yen (US $10).
(via Spoon & Tamago)
More Must-Reads from TIME
- The New Face of Doctor Who
- Putin’s Enemies Are Struggling to Unite
- Women Say They Were Pressured Into Long-Term Birth Control
- Scientists Are Finding Out Just How Toxic Your Stuff Is
- Boredom Makes Us Human
- John Mulaney Has What Late Night Needs
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com
TIME Ideas hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.