— Innovation
Research. Collaboration. Future-focused design.
Innovation at ZALAZ is not a department — it is a way of working. We prototype, research and collaborate with partners across industry, craft and technology to design products and systems that are locally relevant, quietly ambitious and built to last.
— In the studio
Materials, craft and circular thinking.
We research locally available materials, local manufacture and circular end-of-life pathways — testing what performs in African climates, what can be repaired rather than replaced, and what can be made close to where it is used.
- Local material sourcing
- Climate-appropriate specification
- Repairability & long service life
- Locally made, locally supported
- Circular end-of-life pathways
- Craft partnerships
We collaborate with manufacturers, craftspeople and researchers on this work. If it intersects with yours, please get in touch.
— In parallel
Next-generation workplace products.
We're developing a small, considered line of workplace products designed around wellness, focus and the way African offices actually operate — informed by our workplace-strategy practice and prototyped inside our own studio.
- Acoustic and focus tools
- Ergonomic accessories
- Wellness-first furniture details
- Adaptive, modular systems
— How we approach innovation
Research, collaboration and long-view design.
Research
We start in the field — with the people who use the product, in the conditions they use it.
Collaboration
We work openly with industry partners, universities, craftspeople and manufacturers.
Long-view design
We favour products that repair, adapt and last — designed to leave a lighter footprint.
Collaborate with us on the next generation of African-made products.
Start a collaboration →