Interviews med Menglin Tian

I graduated from the Royal College of Art as a graduate student.

My love for design could go back to my childhood. At that time, I was deeply attracted by a pretty popular CCTV interior design program called "exchange space". Thanks for my parents' education and support, I am able to gradually transform my love for design into my major and future career. In 2016, I was matriculated into the Bachelor of product design of Jiangnan University, which was one of the most long-standing and famous design institutes in China. During four-year academic life, my studies of core subjects such as materials and technology, product design expression, product design engineering, design management and brand strategy, product design discipline frontier, design psychology, user research played an important role in shaping my understanding of design industry, which enabled me to know how to run and promote the whole process of design and explore some new materials by myself. These systematic design learning and the accumulation of of new materials have laid a solid foundation for my postgraduate journey.

It's poetic, playful and purposeful. I like that design can add happiness to people's lives, and I look forward to people's wow and small surprise smiles when they use my design.

Sometimes you're upset because you have to make sense of all the connections, but sometimes you're happy when you do.It's very rewarding, seeing something that was in your head actually in front of you, being able to touch it, being able to use it, especially if you let someone else use it.

Observation, listening, asking, and pulse-taking（feeling）

These are the four Diagnostic Methods of TCM I learn from my grandparents who are traditional Chinese medicine doctors. They work to improve people's health. I work to improve people's lives. I learned from them how to understand other people's state, how to find problems and find ways to solve problems in an organized way.

I plan to work in a design studio, learn from excellent predecessors and cooperate with them to complete more wonderful designs.

Talk to people in different areas of work. Design is like connectors. If you don't know what to connect, how do you connect them?

Never forget to discuss your project with people, no matter who they are.

I usually do some reading and work during the day and go dancing in the evening. I want to exercise both my brain and my body. Two chocolate chip cookies and a glass of warm milk are my favorites in the morning. They can warm my stomach without making me sleepy. This is something I look forward to every day, and a happy morning is essential for a good start to the day.

I like to get to know what everyone is doing sometimes. It often gives me inspiration and understands many aspects of the world. Especially in various exhibitions, I can see and touch what others are studying and making up close. It's imaginative and inspiring.

Whether it solves a problem, whether it comes into the world responsibly.

Design is always an iterative process.

I like Creaon best. It breaks down the problems found with short-lived plastic toys and responds to the problems one by one.

Fernando Laposse

Sisal, a byproduct of the original Mexican tequila production, was once widely used to make fishing nets and rope. However, it was abandoned because of the heavy use of plastic. Fernando presents this material and its traditional production techniques through a design that supports local employment and helps restore the plant as native vegetation to be replanted in large quantities to help stabilize the soil and help restore the ecology of the local environment that has been overfarmed.

I currently live in London, where different handicrafts are valued and appreciated. This makes my design pay more attention to the combination of craft and how to make the traditional craft shine again in the new era.

I am a good team player and I am very happy to cooperate with others. I am good at completing tasks with others and try my best to contribute to the team.

The designer, so to speak, is the door of an object to this world. Objects go into people's lives through designers. On the one hand, we should be full of creativity, innovation and foresight, on the other hand, we should shoulder the responsibility for the environment and society.

It gives me more chances to be seen.

The appearance of CREAON is inspired by the unique street architecture landscape of the UK As the children draw with CREAON, they will create different roofs for the cubes. Then CREAON can become unique building blocks that children can play imaginary games with them.

As children draw pictures, CREAON can become unique building blocks, which can be combined with the children's drawings to play games such as imaginary situations and role play.

CREAON can still be played even if it is damaged. It is also a crayon to help children realize their ideas and be creative, a building block to build, a balance block to exercise concentration and so on. It no longer has a single gameplay function, and because of the nature of the material used (Soy Wax), it can continue to play even if it is damaged.

When CREAON has done its job, most of CREAON will exist in the form of cute paintings for children, rather than as space-hogs for parents to deal with. Because it is made from soy wax, even if discarded, the material used makes it more environmentally friendly than regular plastic toys. The cardboard packaging of CREAON is more simple and more environmentally friendly.

I focus on two aspects: on the one hand, how to meet children's multiple demands for toys to achieve the purpose of increasing the service life of products; on the other hand, how to choose materials to achieve that they will not be discarded due to damage and have a more environmentally friendly end.

I hope to develop more lines and put them into production and sales.

I learned from an exhibition that a significant amount of the garbage in the ocean that we don't expect comes from children's toys. After my later research, I found that more than 80 per cent of children's toys are made of plastic. The results and the contents of the exhibition shocked me and I thought I should do something.

If any company is willing to cooperate with me, I am also very welcome. If not, I may make it by myself.

I've always liked things like toys. But I also want to play more environmentally responsible.

In my research, I found that there are many designs for the recycling of existing children's toys, which gives me inspiration in another direction. If there are many people who have made efforts after the end of plastic toys, is it possible to reduce them before they are born?

Parents who are guilt-ridden about buying plastic toys.

It has multiple functions and encourages children to explore multiple ways of playing.

I put crayon and create together， then Creaon. Let children use their imagination and creativity through this product.

I use quick-drying clay, which helps me quickly implement my ideas and test and iterate.

These small houses can be painted to produce different roof shapes, each unique. Children can play more games with these little houses combined with paintings.

I work with children and their parents. They give me feedback on feel, size and experience.

Help me with the data analysis.

At the beginning of the design, these data shocked me about the use of plastic and environmental pollution in toys in our era of environmental protection and sustainable development.

I need to find out that the need for toys is the long-term need of children as they grow and develop.

I have heard about this design competition before, and I always hope that my design can be seen and understood by more people.

When a problem is like a big ball in front of you, try to list them one by one. When it is broken down bit by bit, you can always find the part where you can contribute

I hope you have enjoyed my work. I'm happy to share my work with you.

Feel free to contact me: menglintian.design@gmail.com

2020-2022, Design Products, MA, Royal College of Art, LONDON/UK

2016-2020， Product Design，BA， Jiangnan University， WUXI/CN.

My love for design could go back to my childhood. At that time, I was deeply attracted by a pretty popular CCTV interior design program called "exchange space". Thanks to my parents' education and support, I am able to gradually transform my love for design into my major and future career. In 2016, I matriculated for the Bachelor of product design of Jiangnan University, which was one of the most long-standing and famous design institutes in China. During four-year academic life, my studies of core subjects such as materials and technology, product design expression, product design engineering, design management and brand strategy, product design discipline frontier, design psychology, user research played an important role in shaping my understanding of design industry, which enabled me to know how to run and promote the whole process of design and explore some new materials by myself. These systematic design learning and the accumulation of new materials have laid a solid foundation for my postgraduate journey.

It's poetic, playful and purposeful. I like that design can add happiness to people's lives, and I look forward to people's wow and small surprise smiles when they use my design.

Never forget to discuss your project with people, no matter who they are.

Whether it solves a problem, whether it comes into the world responsibly.

My love for design could go back to my childhood. At that time, I was deeply attracted by a pretty popular CCTV interior design program called "exchange space". Thanks for my parents' education and support, I am able to gradually transform my love for design into my major and future career. In 2016, I was matriculated into the Bachelor of product design of Jiangnan University, which was one of the most long-standing and famous design institutes in China. During four-year academic life, my studies of core subjects such as materials and technology, product design expression, product design engineering, design management and brand strategy, product design discipline frontier, design psychology, user research played an important role in shaping my understanding of design industry, which enabled me to know how to run and promote the whole process of design and explore some new materials by myself. These systematic design learning and the accumulation of of new materials have laid a solid foundation for my postgraduate journey.

I worked with two of my college classmates to set up a small studio since I graduated from college.Our business provides graphic design, product design, packaging design, IP image design to meet customers' needs.At the same time, as a design studio, we also produce some works representing our own ideas, such as products and designer toys. We are committed to exploring the beauty of life, drawing inspiration from daily life, and creating life-oriented and poetic products.We hope to convey beauty and loveliness to more people in a more interesting and playful way.

"Design" is like a connector, connecting different elements and making things work better together.

I like to focus on materials and traditional techniques and ancient wisdom. I'm passionate about solving problems in creative, poetic and interesting ways. My design works are often based on these points.

Sisal Table-Made from Agave Leaves， Designer： Fernando Laposse

Sisal, a byproduct of the original Mexican tequila production, was once widely used to make fishing nets and rope. However, it was abandoned because of the heavy use of plastic. Fernando presents this material and its traditional production techniques through a design that supports local employment and helps restore the plant as native vegetation to be replanted in large quantities to help stabilize the soil and help restore the ecology of the local environment that has been overfarmed.

I once designed designer toy figures for a company that did research on traditional gourd culture.

I like materials that are flexible and environmentally friendly best. Wax, clay, milk, chocolate, etc. Magic is born when one material can achieve multiple states. It can inspire many kinds of ideas. Whether it's the product or the food.

At night, I like to start designing when it is quiet. The dark environment and a little sound outside the window can help me concentrate and immerse myself in the unrestrained imagination world. Plus, you need to do your research during the day while people are still open.

The end of the product's life, I hope the end of the product can be in an environmentally friendly way.

Sometimes you're upset because you have to make sense of all the connections, but sometimes you're happy when you do.

It's very rewarding, seeing something that was in your head actually in front of you, being able to touch it, being able to use it, especially if you let someone else use it.

Consider the whole process of a design, before it, during it and after it.

Whether it solves a problem, whether it comes into the world responsibly.

The designer, so to speak, is the door of an object to this world. Objects go into people's lives through designers. On the one hand, we should be full of creativity, innovation and foresight, on the other hand, we should shoulder the responsibility for the environment and society.

For me, designing the future is based on and looking back at what we have and thinking about what we can do with it.

My last show was at London Design Week. I hope to be able to exhibit again in 2023.

Take a walk outside. Taking a walk outside can help clear your mind and be inspired by what's happening and what's out there. I often go to various exhibitions for inspiration.

It's poetic, playful and purposeful. I like that design can add happiness to people's lives, and I look forward to people's wow and small surprise smiles when they use my design.

I currently live in London, where different handicrafts are valued and appreciated. This makes my design pay more attention to the combination of craft and how to make the traditional craft shine again in the new era.

I am currently working as a freelance independent designer.

I hope all departments can understand each other's work better and sit down together.

I like to put everything I've researched in miro and sort it all out. After identifying the problem and the method, it is the same again.

My mouse, it's light and silent

My mug. It's got a big, roomy handle

My plant shelf, it can fold this

My chopsticks are made of materials of moderate size and are easy to pick up

My Chinese knife. It's the right weight to slap the garlic

I usually do some reading and work during the day and go dancing in the evening. I want to exercise my brain and my body.

Never forget to discuss your project with people, no matter who they are.

Designers are like dancers in chains. We have many things to create, and we are bound by many things. But isn't bondage a ladder of progress?

Whether it can make people smile.

Think outside the box.

Quick drying clay. I often use clay to make my ideas quickly and test them further.

Instead of thinking about my design all the time, I usually spend half a day researching and exploring and writing it down for review the next day.

About two months.

You need to look critically at your design and iterate on it.

As an independent designer, you have to deal with many sides alone.

Various. I provide design services for different clients.

I enjoy designing with traditional materials and crafts, and I want to make them valued again so that these treasures can find their place and shine in a new era.

I plan to work in a design studio, learn from excellent predecessors and cooperate with them to complete more wonderful designs.

I am currently working solo on my designs.

I am currently working on my personal project: SEAL designer toys, in which I hope to collaborate with people who recycle waste plastic in the ocean.

Please contact me through my email: menglintian.design@gmail.com

The decision to use soy wax in CREAON emerged from a series of research explorations into both children’s behavioral patterns and the environmental impact of conventional toys. During the early development phase, I analyzed the lifecycle of the top five household toys, most of which are plastic. I found that although these toys are made of durable material, they often become “short-lived” due to children’s fast-changing interests. This contradiction inspired me to search for a material that was safe, sustainable, and playful in multiple dimensions. Soy wax became the answer: it is non-toxic, biodegradable, and soft enough to encourage drawing, yet structurally stable enough to function as a building block. Prototyping and repeated testing confirmed that even when broken, soy wax blocks remain playable. This duality of being both a crayon and a block, while minimizing environmental burden was the key breakthrough that defined CREAON’s design philosophy.

The inspiration to merge drawing and construction into one design came from observing how young children naturally shift between two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms of play. A child may draw a house, then immediately pick up blocks to build it, or invent a story that connects both actions. I realized these activities are not separate, but part of a continuous imaginative process where children explore, test, and express their ideas. CREAON was conceived as a tool that could bridge this gap: when a child draws, the crayon itself becomes the “roof” or structural piece that later transforms into a building block. This integration encourages fluidity between artistic expression and spatial construction, reinforcing creativity and role play. By collapsing the boundary between drawing and building, CREAON empowers children to move seamlessly from idea to tangible form, cultivating a richer and more open-ended play experience.

The period of 2020–2022, marked by uncertainty and isolation, deeply influenced how I approached the design of CREAON. During that time, children’s opportunities for social interaction and outdoor exploration were greatly reduced, and toys became one of the few mediums through which they could express themselves and experience joy at home. This made me more aware that a toy should not only entertain but also serve as a creative outlet that sparks imagination and emotional resilience. CREAON was therefore designed to be simple yet transformative, combining drawing and building into a single tool that allows children to turn small moments into magical ones. The idea of adding “happiness and flash” was my response to that period: to create a toy that celebrates creativity, encourages role play, and brings brightness into children’s daily routines, even during challenging times.

Balancing durability with environmental responsibility was one of the core challenges in CREAON’s development. Traditional plastic toys are extremely durable in material, yet ironically short-lived in practice because children quickly outgrow them. My approach was to rethink durability not only as physical strength but as functional adaptability. By using soy wax, CREAON is durable in the sense that it continues to serve multiple purposes even when partially worn or broken, it can still be used as a crayon, a construction piece, or a balancing block. At the same time, its end-of-life pathway is more responsible: instead of becoming bulky plastic waste, most of CREAON’s value remains in children’s drawings, and the leftover material is biodegradable and less harmful to the environment. This balance allowed me to create a toy that sustains engagement through flexibility while offering a gentle exit strategy that aligns with ecological values.

Designing CREAON for children aged 1–6 required a careful balance between safety, developmental appropriateness, and creative freedom. At the youngest ages, safety was paramount: the blocks were designed with rounded edges, a size large enough to prevent swallowing hazards, and made from non-toxic soy wax, ensuring they could be safely handled even by toddlers. For slightly older children, the focus shifts toward motor skills, imagination, and role play. CREAON supports this by allowing simple scribbles to evolve into building elements, encouraging spatial thinking and storytelling. Rather than creating separate products for each age, I emphasized open-ended play value that adapts to a child’s developmental stage,whether it is grasping, drawing, stacking, or constructing more complex scenarios. This approach ensures that the toy grows with the child, maintaining both safety and creative potential throughout the early years.

The idea of integrating roofs as a design feature came from observing how children often depict houses in their earliest drawings, usually with a simple square and a triangular or curved roof on top. This universal visual language of “home” fascinated me, because it reflects both a child’s sense of structure and their emotional attachment to shelter. During my research into early childhood play, I found that children frequently move between drawing a house and then attempting to build one with blocks, yet these two actions were rarely connected by the toy itself. By making the crayon strokes literally transform into the roofs of building blocks, CREAON bridges that gap. The roof becomes not only an artistic expression but also a structural element in play, encouraging children to imagine entire streets or towns. This feature was therefore informed by both developmental psychology and direct observation of how children express architecture in their creative activities.

Receiving the A' Design Award in the Baby, Kids and Children’s Products category was both an honor and a validation of CREAON’s core philosophy. The recognition reinforced my belief that sustainability and creativity are not competing goals but can exist in harmony to enrich children’s lives. It also made me reflect on the broader responsibility of designers in shaping products that balance joy, imagination, and environmental stewardship. The award encouraged me to see sustainable innovation not as an optional feature but as an essential foundation for children’s product design, because what we create for them today inevitably shapes their relationship with the world tomorrow. This perspective motivates me to continue exploring materials, forms, and play patterns that nurture creativity while respecting our environment.

Designing each 15mm × 15mm × 45mm unit to function simultaneously as a crayon and a building block required iterative prototyping and testing. The dimensions were carefully chosen: large enough to be safely grasped by small hands and to prevent choking hazards, yet proportioned like a modular block so children could stack and balance them easily. The rectangular form provided stability for construction, while the ends were engineered to allow smooth drawing without crumbling. I experimented with various wax formulations until I found the right soy wax blend that offered both structural strength and a soft, even color application. The geometry also intentionally mimics architectural proportions—long enough to resemble a “wall” or “beam,” but when rotated or combined with drawings, it transforms into a “roof” element. By continuously testing with children of different ages, I refined the balance between playability, durability, and creative freedom, ensuring that each unit could truly perform as both an artistic tool and a construction material.

My broader design vision has always been to approach problem-solving in a way that feels interesting, poetic, and playful, and CREAON embodies that philosophy. Rather than treating a toy as a fixed object with a single function, I wanted to create an experience that unfolds in layers—first as a crayon, then as a building block, and ultimately as part of a child’s imaginative world. This reflects my belief that children’s products should not only entertain but also nurture curiosity, expression, and storytelling. CREAON’s ability to transform drawings into architectural play represents this vision: a poetic bridge between two-dimensional imagination and three-dimensional exploration. By embedding creativity and sustainability into the design, I hope to set a precedent for children’s products that inspire wonder, encourage open-ended thinking, and cultivate a lifelong love of creativity.

I believe CREAON’s approach demonstrates that sustainability in children’s toys does not have to come at the expense of creativity or play value. By rethinking materials and multifunctionality, it shows that toys can evolve from being static, single-use objects into dynamic tools that grow with the child while leaving a lighter environmental footprint. My hope is that CREAON can inspire the industry to adopt a mindset where durability is defined not only by physical strength but also by adaptability and ecological responsibility. Looking ahead, I envision more designers exploring biodegradable materials, modular forms, and play concepts that extend a toy’s life beyond traditional expectations. If CREAON can serve as a small example, it suggests that the future of toy design lies in creating products that spark joy, foster imagination, and respect the planet, values that children can carry forward into their own lives.