From single-use to sustainable

From single-use to sustainable

“Sustainability” is the rallying cry of our time. All around the world, every industry is considering how to improve the environmental, economic, and social impact of their products. Considering the full life cycle of a product – from ideation to manufacturing, through to use, re-use, and eventual disposal – has become a valuable and necessary exercise for all.

In the design sector, sustainability is front of mind. Designing products which provide ongoing use not only provide better ROI for the end user, but ensures lower consumption of raw material, energy, and fuels. But to achieve this end goal, decisions must be made from the very beginning of the design process with material selection and use-impact planning.

One key strategy, and a developing trend in the space, is multifunctionality; encouraging customers to do more with less, increasing a product’s usefulness and relevance and in turn reducing waste. Multifunctionality has a clear and valuable link to environmental sustainability.

The challenge here is creating long-lasting products that remain relevant in increasingly fast-paced and dynamic user and business contexts – but we believe it’s a challenge well worth overcoming.