Plumen: A Designer Compact Florescent Lightbulb

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a fantastic energy-efficient alternative to standard incandescent ones, but let’s face it – they’re rather unfortunate-looking. Until now. From British human-centric gadget company Hulger and designer Sam Wilkinson comes The Plumen – the world’s first designer CFL, meant to be shown off rather than hidden.

Composed of two elegantly interwoven fluorescent tubes, the bulb uses 80% less energy a traditional incandescent one does and offers eight times the lifespan.The Plumen features two elegant interlocking fluorescent tubes, uses 80 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb, and is expected to last for eight years.

The name ‘Plumen’ is inspired by birds’ plume, the decorative feathering signaling the bird’s beauty and prowess. The Plumen is now available in the UK and throughout Europe, with a US and global release coming soon.

Maria Popova is the editor of Brain Pickings, a curated inventory of miscellaneous interestingness. She writes for Wired UK, GOOD Magazine, Design Observer and Huffington Post, and spends a shameful amount of time on Twitter.