The design industry has traditionally struggled with the concept of sustainability, often viewed as a worthy, dowdy add-on to real innovation.
The linear model of making and throwing away still dominates. New technologies such as nano-coatings, composite materials and LED lighting offer fantastic possibilities but they are not being designed with any element of recovery in mind.
However, the landscape is changing. Resource scarcity and an increased awareness of planetary pressures is placing sustainability much more at the front and centre of design innovation.
Companies are already starting to experience volatility in their supply chains. Smart phones, for example, contain more than 40 separate elements. These include rare earth metals and other elements which appear on scarcity lists. How long will the hi-tech electronics industry be able to sustain itself without rethinking the way it uses resources?
From turning sludge into plastic and nappies into cardboard to making roof tiles from sanitary products, many designers and businesses are seeing the value in creating a permanent life for materials. Starbucks is using lactic acid fermentation to create dairy cow feed from coffee grounds, Patagonia turns plastics into fleece jackets and Southwest Airlines recently upcycled 80,000 leather seats.
But are these innovations being replicated, and are they scalable? How can other companies and designers be encouraged to think more about creating new life for the materials in old products?
Join the experts for a live chat
Join us on Friday 14 November at 1pm GMT for a live chat with a panel of experts to discuss sustainable materials innovation.
Topics the panel will explore, among others, include:
- How are businesses, designers and the waste industry teaming up to create sustainable products?
- How can collaboration be scaled up? How can different elements of the supply chain be encouraged to talk to each other?
- Which are the companies and designers to watch when it comes to materials innovation?
- Which industries and materials offer the most potential in terms of scale and impact?
- Is innovation happening fast enough and if not why not?
- Regulation seems to favour those who operate in a linear way. Given that problems with waste and recycling are a public burden, how can politicians be persuaded to incentivise innovation?
- How can consumers be engaged?
Panel
Scott Hamlin, co-founder and CEO of Looptworks
Richard Kirkman, technical director, Veolia
Sophie Thomas, co-director of design at the RSA
Kresse Wessling, environmental designer and co-founder of Elvis & Kresse
Get involved
The live chat is completely text based and will take place on this page in the comments section below, kicking off on Friday 14 November 1pm BST. You can submit any questions in advance by tweeting them to @GuardianSustBiz using #askGSB or using the form below and we’ll put them to the panel on the day.
Read more like this:
- How to scale up the circular economy in the business world - video
- Five countries moving ahead of the pack on circular economy legislation
- Brought to you by Veolia: Circular economy in action: mining metals from street sweepings and making plastic from sewage
The rethinking resources series is funded by Veolia. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here.
Join the community of sustainability professionals and experts. Become a GSB member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox
