# Dining in 2015 It's All About Fingers By Ayman | Published 2008-02-24 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dining-2015-fingers References: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=21&item_pk=19471&p=2) We were taught growing up a golden eating etiquette rule which says “Don't eat with your fingers.” But looking at the submissions for the Dining in 2015 contest, I guess that etiquette is about to change. Four entries revolved around the use of fingers as [cultry utinsels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pocket-utensil-set). A few more designs utilized [pens, pencils or chopsticks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/experimental-pencils) in a similar manner. I prefer the [finger designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dino-brush); you may forget your pen or pencil, but you always have your fingers! We have **[Fingers](http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=21&item_pk=19471&p=1)**, which Italian designer Alberto Ghirardello describes as "a cutlery set you can use with phalanxes. It is made in strong plastic material, with an silicon insert on the interior side: that gives to the cutlery more grip and comfort ." We also have similar designs such as **[eat with your fingers](http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=21&item_pk=19541&p=3)** by Key portilla-kawamura & Ali Ganjavian from spain, **[Finger Cutlery](http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=21&item_pk=20050&p=3)** by Jie Zhu from china, and **[schnittstelle](http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=21&item_pk=19376&p=3)** by Mijalkovic milan & Urbanek katharina from Austria. Check out the Din-Ink design concept which won second place at the contest: ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 36% | Activity: 9% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Finger Cutlery:** Designing reusable finger cutlery sets made from sustainable materials could disrupt the traditional form of cutlery and dishware industry. - **Phalange-based Utensils:** Creating universally designed, customizable utensils that blend mechanics and ergonomics to better fit the needs of the user can disrupt the consumption-based food industry. - **Edible Utensils:** Developing edible utensils made from natural materials like wheat, rice, and corn flour or plant-based elements can revolutionize the plastic and non-reusable utensils industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Food and Beverages:** Innovative utensil designs can revolutionize the way we consume food, impacting all related industries associated with food and dining. - **Sustainability:** Creating more eco-friendly and sustainable utensils reduces carbon footprints for everything from manufacturing to waste disposal, disrupting the way current industries operate. - **Packaging:** By designing utensils that can also double as plates or packaging, companies could eliminate the need for additional packaging, leading to fewer waste materials and reducing overall costs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Hand-Shaped Forks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/finger-lickin-fork.md) - [Interchangeable All-in-One Cutlery](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pinchy-cutlery.md) - [Inclusive Tactile Cutlery Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tactil.md) - [Table Manners-Teaching Tableware](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baby-tableware.md) - [Wearable QSR Utensils](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kfc-finger-sporks.md) - [Fashionable Fusion Cutlery Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rething-cutlery.md) - [Speculative Cutlery Forms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/evolving-spoon.md) - [Durable Sustainable Cutlery Sets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lollo.md) - [Ergonomic Instant Noodle Forks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nendo-x-nissin-the-fork.md)