WIPOD – Design Talks: Transcript of Episode 9

Designing for Change

Sarah Lucek: Hello, design enthusiasts, and welcome to another episode of WIPOD Design Talks brought to you by the Hague Registry at WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization. My name is Sarah, and I'm your host. As you may know, this season, we explore design with impact, the power of creativity to drive meaningful change. So let's start.

Picture this: a tennis ball, once bouncing on courts, now transformed into something completely new, with a second life filled with purpose. Our guest today, Mathilde Wittock, founder of MWO Design, saw potential where others saw waste. She took damaged tennis balls and turned them into functional, high-quality products proving that sustainability and design can go hand in hand. But design isn't just about creating, it's about rethinking, transforming and finding new opportunities in the unexpected. Innovation can emerge from the way you use materials, reduce waste or rethink everyday objects.

Today, we will explore how design fuels change, turning challenges into opportunities and shaping a more sustainable future. It's time to explore the story behind MWO Design to understand how it all started, what inspires Mathilde, and the vision that drives her work.

Mathilde, welcome to WIPOD Design Talks. Can you tell us a bit about your background, what led you to become a designer, and how did that shape the way you approach problem solving.

Mathilde Wittock: Hello, Sarah. Thank you so much for this beautiful introduction. So initially, it is funny, I actually wanted to study economics, because I wanted to understand how systems work and how to challenge them. But quickly I realized that what's around us it's what shapes us - products, architecture, and all the tangible shapes or behaviors, values, emotional attachments. So, I applied for product design, and I got into Central Saint Martins. I chose that over economics. That's where my design journey really began. So it was in 2017, I believe.

And during my bachelor in product design, I have developed a critical thinking. I got to realize how much designers influence the world we live in. And must say one text that has influenced it all - that opened my eyes on the complexity of supply chains - is the essay called Eye Pencil. I don't know if you are familiar with it, but it's a short essay written in 58 by Leonard E. Reed, an American economist. And it's an essay told from the point of view of a pencil. The pencil itself is the narrator, and it explains how even the most ordinary object, a pencil, is the result of an incredible, complex, global and collaborative process that no single person fully controls or understands. That essay really triggered something in me because I got to think, what am I doing? What are designers? Are they part of the problem? Why being a designer if it is to create more when we actually need less today? So, that led me to look for local production systems that prioritize traceability and material ethics, transparency. And it was really hard to trace back where the materials I want to work with were sourced initially from, who worked with them, through whose hands those material went, what circumstances as well.

It was very difficult because today the systems really show - when you want to produce something and trace back things - it really shows that we have no control. We don't know where things come from and that we are all super independent to each other and to the system itself. So I almost gave up at some point. I wanted to stop my studies. I wanted to quit. And I was like, what should I do now?

And then instead of doing that, I was like, okay, actually designers that are not like people that should create problem, they should be the one that resolve the problem. So, I was like, okay, I got my problem here. Let's start. And I must say also that another designer that really inspired me is Fernando Laposse. He worked with corn husks, that's one of his projects. He also graduated from Central Saint Martins. And he's turning agricultural waste into beautiful, sustainable materials while supporting local communities. I advise you to look up at his work because it's really inspiring. He made something that people love, want, desire, but also if someone access those designs, it supports local economies, it does have a huge positive impact on the local lands.

Sarah Lucek: Thank you, Mathilde. Actually, it's true that designs touch everyone, designs influence everyone. And actually, your journey into design is really fascinating and your words really inspiring. And with that, you've created some truly unique pieces like the bounce stool, the back-to-back bounce bench, or the bounce lounge chair. For our listeners, go check Mathilde's work. It's incredible. Mathilde, we would love to hear more about these designs that you created. What inspired them and how did they come to life? I imagine there was a moment when you looked at the used tennis ball and thought “oh this could be something more”.

Mathilde Wittock: Yes, okay. Actually, it didn't start with the tennis ball. It started with sounds. So, specifically, with my discomfort - I have like a huge discomfort with sound because I'm hypersensitive to sounds. And also, that's another thing that upsets me today is that all the designs and objects and products that surround us. They were designed for functionality and to please the eye. And we often forgot while designing objects about the sound it will create. And the result is that today we live in a world where sound pollution is all over the place. It impacts us, our health. And that's crazy if you look into the data, but it does impact our health.

It does influence cardiovascular disease, hearing loss and many others. And that's only on the macro scale, but also ecosystems. So, we are the most nosier animal on earth and we are disturbing all the other natural systems that communicate through vibrations or sounds. So I was upset and during my studies, I always looked into sound and I got to realize that I was completely passionate about that. And I wanted to do something about it. So the tennis ball really came up at the end of that whole reflection. At first, I was like, okay, designer is not only about like solving a problem, but it's also about like creating the system that goes with the products. Because that's a problem we have today. It's like we have solutions, but it's how we create that creates the problems.

So, I need to think about how I want the design to be, my solution to be, and that's about locality. Things need to be local, produced locally, but with a door to global, a door to scalability. So, it needs to be accessible for other countries to use that solution. Otherwise, you end shipping and logistic is one of the biggest impact - negative impact today. So I was like, okay, global but local, I need a material to work with that has acoustic properties, interesting one that can be found all over the place and can be transformed locally. I didn't know anything about acoustics, I am a designer, but I went into the physics and it's super complex. I understood all the different paneling, all the different kinds of absorption that exists. I wanted to deep into the how a frequency works and reflects. And I really got passionate about that. And at some point, I was looking into material around me, what that material could be. And I play tennis; I'm a tennis player. And I used to play every Wednesday with my best friends in Hyde Park when I was studying in London.

And I took that ball - that felt ball - in my hands, and I was like “okay, my God, this is just so hard to produce. That felt is glued on the rubber. How it works?” And then I looked up and I read that tennis is one of the most polluting sports in the world. And I was like “how is that possible? Is it because of the racket, the string? What is it?”.  And it's actually because of the tennis balls. Tennis balls - they take three hours, if you have a very good level in tennis, they can take three hours to be ready for the bin. The production of a tennis ball takes five days because it needs about 24 different manufacturing processes. So it's a very long-time energy consuming and so hard to get, like that perfect sphere with gas inside and that felt. It's so complex.

So I was like, okay, Tennis is played all over the world. Let's use that material. So I needed the function. What I did is like, I built a DIY acoustic testing room so I can test the material. I got to understand it had like, some interesting absorption coefficients. So, I was like, okay, maybe we can do something with that, but before going to a lab with proper testing, of course I needed to develop the design and the surface material.

It took me about three to six months to cut that ball in so many, so many different shapes because that's the final role of a designer, which is please to the eye so you can attract and have your impact. I enjoyed that so much because a tennis ball, if you look at upcycled waste material, often people, they don't get into the luxury industry because people relate those materials to the waste. They can see where they are coming from. They associate those materials to the waste and how they were used initially. So what I really tried here is to distort these tennis balls so I can attract a much larger audience that goes beyond the sport industry.

And for that I needed to distort what's iconic to tennis, which is that very flashy yellow and those very sporty white lines and of course those logos. So it was about like distorting this by cutting the ball in a clever way so you can't see the line anymore without of course having offcut material, otherwise that would be pointless. And then how to change the color as well, experimenting with dyes and other materials. And then the assembly, the assembly, how that assembly can actually hide the logo, but also most important, how that assembly can get the products stay circular. So, if you glue two materials together, you cannot detach them at the end of the life of a product and already like it's very difficult to recycle. So, the idea was to keep all of that circular, so the balls are not glued to the structure they fit in. And then the other work I did was about like developing that structure because it's a material I'm using too. And that structure where the tennis balls are nested into is a rigid material that is produced through numeric machine. So, this is a system that allows me to send the file to America or to Asia where I want the balls to be recycled locally and those people that receive the file are makers that can make the design out of that 2D file. So, from a 2D cut I get a 3D shape and then from that, 3D shape balls are nested into it and it's ready to be shipped locally.

Sarah Lucek: Wow, that's actually incredible. And you know, when we look at it, it looks very simple, but we can see it's a lot of work. When you first started MWO Design, what were the biggest challenges you faced? Was it more about convincing people of your vision, finding the right materials? I think you somehow explained this a little bit earlier or something else, maybe.

Mathilde Wittock: That’s a tough question. I don't have enough distance to really have a clear answer yet, I believe, because I'm in the middle of it. MWO, I launched it in August 2024. So, it has been a few months and honestly, the hardest part was what happened before launching the business. First, I'm a maker. I'm not a businesswoman. I mean, I'm becoming one, I believe, but I'm a maker, I'm a creative, and I haven't been trained for business. I didn't have any knowledge, and I was left alone with a good idea that I know people need. And a lot of also people reaching out to me being opportunistic. And that's something I didn't learn during my studies. It's that business is purely opportunistic. But you can be opportunistic like I think nature overall - like in general - nature is opportunistic. You need something, you need to exchange energy for something in return. It's how things work, I agree, but it needs to be well balanced. The equation needs to be correct. And I've got a lot of people that reach out to me because they saw in my projects something that could be making a lot of profits. And they don't necessarily care about the value and all the hard work I put into these projects and why I did that. So I had to protect myself and I had to learn how to read through the lines, to decode the people who were talking to me at the end of the day - what I understand now and I'm so glad I got that déclic - is that you only want to work with people you like working with, people you admire, people who inspire you and most above all people that have and share the same value than you. So, this is the result of that long journey before the creation of MWO. And I'm still, every day, facing new challenges. But things are going better and better.

Sarah Lucek: What you're doing is inspiring. It's not just about creativity, it's about impact. And what kind of change do you hope your designs bring?

Mathilde Wittock: I want to move away from objects that look good but leave a toxic trace. My work comes from personal discomfort, and I try to turn that discomfort into something useful. I want to make a difference in the invisible, in sound, in waste, in the tempo of production. If I can change habits - a bad habit - or help someone feel that a space is softer, more intelligent, more alive, then I've done my job. I'm trying to make better. And to be honest, like, as I said earlier, I almost gave up on the studies, and I was born in a generation where I remember when we started talking about being six billion on Earth, we are too much - already we're not six billion. And when I was in school people would teach us about how to deal with the waste we have and how important it is and how we are the last generation to do something about it. And to be fair, I think today I can say that it was a lot of pressure on us without knowing like it got into our subconscious. And we are a generation where - I personally - I felt too much.

I was like, okay, I shouldn't have been born. I've been told my whole life that we are too much and I'm there. What should I do then? Everything I would do would have an impact. So how can I minimize that impact and still be passionate and happy about what I do and fulfill? But what I do is doing something good for the planet and it has a purpose. And that's what I'm looking in my job every day. And I'm happy the way it is today.

Sarah Lucek: I love the fact that you are insisting on impact and that's what we're trying today to convey. Like designs are unique, designs are impactful. How can we do better? And actually, your designs are unique and impactful. Are you protecting them through intellectual property rights such as design registration for example, trademark or another intellectual property right?

Mathilde Wittock: Yes, I went through that and at the beginning I couldn't understand a thing. I thought like creative people would just be protected because of their credits. But I got to realize that it's not enough and there is never enough. So, it's very difficult to protect creative’s work. I got to understand that but I went through, I did my best - the best I can. I did have the brand. I've got the trademark protected, the drawings as well. And I got a patent as well, like two patents as well. At the beginning, I was supporting open-source design, and I've got a different opinion today because open source is beautiful for certain design, technology, but for what I'm doing today, it is very simple, but there is a lot of intellectual property behind, a lot of work. It is iconic in his way. And I got to understand that patent sometimes is seen as a bit selfish where people want to keep the exclusivity of an idea and don't share it with others. Some people see it as “oh, you've got a good solution that can help everyone, but you are keeping it for yourself”. And that's not the case. I think that's it's even the opposite, it’s protecting an idea. So it can be shared in the right way. So what I'm doing here: I've got a patent and what I want - and what I'm working on today - is finding the right partners I want to work with and have a license right on the patent I have. So I can make that technology, that solution available worldwide, but in a controlled way. This is the process I'm following today.

It is, to me, super important. And I strongly think that universities like art schools and all those creative formations around the world, they should teach their students how to protect themselves, their work. You know, like when you're a student and you have a good idea and you get out of uni, you're just a little seed and you're so fragile, you don't know how to protect yourself. And if someone shows interest, you're like “oh my God, it's amazing! Someone is showing interest in my work!” And then you open and you share, and it shouldn't be like that. I think IP is something that sometimes is not enough taught in creative schools. And it is so important. It is so important because if you have a good IP protection, then you have the control on your project, you can decide what you want your idea to become, you can decide. And that's your right because it's coming from your experience, your mind, it's coming from you. And it's about a lot of work.

Sarah Lucek: Are you familiar with international design registration?

Mathilde Wittock: I came across it recently. I've been looking into it a little bit more and more. But I'm curious. I think you can tell me more than I can.

Sarah Lucek: So yes, basically the Hague System is an international mechanism that helps creators, SMEs, large companies to protect, secure their design rights through one application. So basically, one application can contain up to a hundred designs provided that they belong to the same Locarno class, and file and apply in multiple jurisdictions. It’s efficient, easy to use and economical. And Mathilde, how do you feel about the idea of having international protection for your designs through just a single registration process? Because we know that there are different channels, for example, the national one that you have to file before each country where you want to protect your design. But you have also the Hague, just one process, one procedure to file in multiple countries, almost 100 countries.

Mathilde Wittock: That's a beautiful idea because it's a struggle. It's like IP protection is a struggle. There is so much you have to know. There is so much you have to go through, like with lawyers, for redactions, it's a lot of cost. And protecting an idea shouldn't cost you that much. I mean, most of the time, if you want to protect an idea, it's because you're launching an idea. It's tough at the beginning to cover those costs and it's at that moment – exact moment - that it needs to be covered. So, I think it's a very, it's a very good idea. And, and I'm very curious to know more and to dig into it because I haven't heard of that before. I've seen many different ways you can protect an idea internationally, but it's not that simple. It's more than one application for sure.

Sarah Lucek: Well, we hope that you will be our future Hague users. So MWO is a SME, and many designers or even SMEs from certain areas or even regions like developing countries may not prioritize design protection. What do you think are the main reasons they might overlook design protection or even systems like the Hague for protecting their creations?

Mathilde Wittock: So, I think when we create an idea, we have an idea, most of the time we really focus on the making, on the material, on the delivery, and the urgency of the idea. And we only think about IP a bit too late. So, when someone has already copied the work or approached us with unclear motives you know. So, and also, sometimes people are also not aware, like if you really want to protect yourself, you need to keep it unpublished for a while. So, there are things that you need to respect to be able to protect an idea.

Sarah Lucek: And you as a designer, you've gone through this, you are now protecting your rights through different services, like as you said, trademark, design and patent. But there are others out there who still don't know. If you could give one piece of advice to a young designer, who's creating for change, but doesn't know about IP rights and more specifically design rights, what would be the advice you would give them?

Mathilde Wittock: I would advise that if they should know where they want their project to be in 5–10 years’ time — if they know — they should act to make that happen. And sometimes it is to share it open source — who knows? Sometimes the right strategy to make the project survive and live and have its impact, or whatever is the intention they have behind the creation of that project, is to protect the idea. And that really depends on the plan and the strategy you want to put in place for that project. But I would say that a simple registration can help you to set boundaries, for sure. It helps you to define your terms and you're staying in control of your creation, of your IP. And then once that's set up, it takes some stress out, you know, because you're more relaxed and you can really decide, taking your time, what to do with it for the best.

Sarah Lucek: Thank you, Mathilde. Looking ahead now, what's next for MWO Design? Where do you see the future of sustainable design going?

Mathilde Wittock: That’s a tough question. So MWO is, it's a baby today for sure. But what I'm working on today is continuing on the value I have with Soundbounce, which is produce, invent, develop, research new materials that can be produced locally with local resources but have a door for global production. So for example, with Soundbounce, you got it, it's the balls being all over the place and local production for those. But I'm also working with now biomaterials. So, it's another project from local seeds and those seeds are available in the world and it's seeds that doesn't compete with the food industry. It's ornamental seeds that grow very fast. And with that, I'm making acoustic solutions again and more and textile. And I have many other material in mind that could have that same economical system behind. And that's what I want to do with MWO Design. I want to pursue and research more and create regenerative design.

Sarah Lucek: Well, we wish all the best for MWO and you. Would you have any final words to our listeners out there who want to create, who want to protect, who are trying to find solutions and have a great design coming out of this solution? Would you have any final words for them?

Mathilde Wittock: Don’t give up. Be resilient. You can make it, live with your passion. Stay yourself and stick to your core value and don't change.

Sarah Lucek: Thank you, Mathilde. These are really nice words. And again, your journey is incredible. It's inspiring. You have in that journey, personal factors, a lot of work, a lot of commitments. And here you are with really unique designs, and your work is a perfect example of how design can create real change. Thank you for sharing your story and the story of MWO Design with us.

To our listeners, if you have a design idea that could make a difference, remember, innovation deserves protection. Let's continue to shape a future where creativity and impact go hand in hand. If you enjoyed this episode presented by the World Intellectual Property Organization, with valuable support from the Funds in Trust Japan Industrial Property Global, subscribe to WIPOD Design Talks on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube Podcasts. And stay tuned for more stories from incredible guests like Mathilde. Until next time, keep designing for change.