So much of the eco-revolution used to be about drudgery – ugly, scratchy hemp clothes, socks and sandals, dilapidated Volkswagen vans with homemade psychedelic paint jobs, soggy bean sprouts, hairy legs and unwashed bodies. Frankly there was zero appeal for the mainstream public. Now increasingly designers, innovators and futurists are trying their hand at making the green revolution attractive and accessible. From sleek electric cars –think the Tesla – to sexy stunning organic clothing to beautiful sustainable homes filled with visually attractive reclaimed furniture and recycled building materials. We caught up with designer Nicolas Roope, founder of the hip Hulger Company and the man behind the Plumen CFL bulb concept, to ask him - can the eco-revolution finally be beautiful?
How did the concept for the Plumen evolve? What was the inspiration?
I can't really remember where the idea came from. I have a lot of ideas that pop up into my head but the better ones come back again and again and eventually stick. The concept is very consistent with the way Hulger approaches technology though so it's clear to me why we picked up the idea. The phones we have created are the antithesis to the ubiquitous, grey mobile phone as the Plumen is the antithesis to the boring, uniform shapes of CFLs. It's obvious to us that making more dynamic, attractive and interesting objects out of technologies, you create things that people will have a very different relationship to and will inspire new behaviour.
We don't just want to make beautiful things, we want to create change.
What is the Plumen project?
The Plumen bulbs are working prototypes at the moment. They are simply a way to articulate the idea and get people excited about the potential. These prototypes are also helping us sell the idea to manufacturers who we will need to work with to bring out a production model.
How were the shapes created?
Initially the shapes are constructed in wire pipe-cleaners as 3D sketches. It is important that the shapes aren't regular as this creates the interest in the form. 3D sketching by hand lets you very quickly evolve the shape whilst constantly being able to accurately judge the overall effect. I visited Aston Martin's design studio last year and I was surprised to see how they still work up a scale model in clay as it's the best way to judge design changes on it's true physical presence. When a Plumen design is selected from the sketches it is then created in a 3D program and technical drawings are generated. Then the glass part is constructed from this technical data.
Was it current market limitations that formulated Plumen?
Yes, very much so. We know we're supposed to use CFLs but we hate the ones on offer. We knew we could do better and if we succeed everyone would be better off. We don't just want to make beautiful things, we want to create change. If we just wanted to make cute things we'd design chairs and tables, it's a lot easier.
How will a more attractive CFL bulb encourage use?
Home furnishings are subject to fashions just like clothes. We want our spaces to be comfortable but also contemporary. The choices we make about these spaces say a lot about us so many people choose very carefully. When we offer these people a contemporary, design object which also communicates an "I care about the environment" story it's a very compelling proposition. They can have something cool, that acts as a centerpiece but also says the right things about them. Conventional bulbs don't do any of this.
To really inspire people the Plumen needs to clearly manifest its subversive nature whilst also justifying its existence by working.
Is this an environmental project?
It is an environmental project but that wasn't our starting point. Hulger doesn't define itself as an ecologically centered company, we're simply offering up ideas that provide useful solutions to today's problems. It just so happens that the environment is a massive issue that needs some new thinking. The PAPPA*PHONE we have just launched is made from sustainable American Walnut but we're not using the material only because it's green, we're also doing it because the material is incredibly beautiful and interesting.
How can beauty/art inspire activism?
I think good art is always a kind of activism. Art inspires and challenges at the same time, for me that's what makes it fascinating and unique. The thing that I love most about art is how it can change a viewer’s perception with no other instructions, content or context to 
help them. Art doesn't present a narrative, it simply puts something out there that resonates in a way that forces the onlooker to ask questions, resulting in them seeing things in a new way which in turn could of course effect their behaviour. I really like the idea that we can create a consumer product that has this challenging element to it, a resonance created by borrowing the language of art and using it to inspire a new behaviour, in this case something that will lead to a very positive effect.
The beauty in the objects live alongside this challenging aspect. It helps to round the proposition so that our products feel like an answer as well as a question. To really inspire people the Plumen needs to clearly manifest its subversive nature whilst also justifying its existence by 'working' and by this I mean, making sense as an aesthetic choice, something that complements the space it occupies.
Is the Plumen economically feasible for large-scale production?
In its current form the bulb isn't tenable. But we have plans for new designs which retain all the important qualities but are a better fit for larger scale production. The more we produce, the lower the price, enabling us to compete more effectively with the alternatives. One of the things which really attracted us to the idea was the fact that it could become very mainstream whilst retaining its integrity as the idea and object is so distinct.
How do you plan to get the Plumen into production?
We're trying to find manufacturing partners at the moment. It is much harder to produce the bulb than you'd think from what on the surface seems like a simple object.
Any other projects in the works?
Of course we have many. But we're only small so we can't bite off more than we can chew. If the Plumen works it will keep us busy for some time to come.
Lastly Nicolas, are you a green guy? If so, give us a few details.
I'm quite green but I don't define myself as such. I ride my bike 12 miles a day to and from work, I run my heating no more than I need and the same with lighting and general power consumption at home (my Wattson helps me figure that out). I recycle as much as I can and think carefully about what I consume. But I clock up too many air miles; at the moment my work requires it. Hulger does have a product on the slate that would reduce my need to fly but it's some time off.
I'm like a lot of people who, if given a meaningful choice between a green and a non--green option, will always take the green one. That's also why I'll be Plumen's first customer when it's ready.
To find out more about Hulger and the Plumen bulb concept visit: http://www.plumen.com/ or http://www.hulger.com/
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