These resources are for everyone who wants to learn, apply, and contribute to circular design. Here’s where you can find out why design underpins the whole idea of a circular economy and how you can put it into practice.
Why design is fundamental to a circular economy
Everything around us has been designed by someone: the clothes we wear, the buildings we live and work in, and the systems that deliver food and mobility.
Today, in industries like fashion and plastics packaging, products and systems are designed in such a way that more than 80% of material flows are destined for landfill, incineration or leaked into natural environments. Once things are designed, it’s hard to reverse: “We can’t unscramble an omelette”
With circular design, we can prevent the creation of waste and pollution right at the start.
Design - Overview - Examples
BioPak
Ahrend
Niaga
Closing the loop on single-use food packaging
The rapidly growing takeaway food sector results in many single-use plastic containers being discarded every year. Recycling is generally impractical due to contamination caused by food residues, so takeaway packaging most often ends up in landfill. Reusable containers should be implemented wherever possible, but this is sometimes not practical, leaving a proportion that remains single use.
Reads
Circular design
Examine the role of design in creating a circular economy, the four-stage circular design process...
Creating a circular economy for toys
Redesigning not only how toys are made and played with, but also toy ownership.
The role of art in driving systems change
Brands team up to see how 3D printing can revolutionise repair
Design and the circular economy
What is circular design and why is it at the heart of a regenerative future?
Artificial intelligence and the circular economy
Explore how artificial intelligence can be used as a tool to accelerate the transition to a...
When the power of nature meets design
Five circular design stories from Latin America By Milena Lumini, Latin America Content...
The New European Bauhaus and the circular economy
An opportunity to demonstrate the potential of circular design
How circular design guidelines unlock organisations’ potential for change
Overcoming design challenges to make your business circular
Learnings from an aspirational paddle board business
Videos
Introducing the next era of design
What if we could redesign everything?
The magic of materials and making with Zoe Laughlin
Zoe Laughlin joined the DIF Studio to talk about those questions and more...
Africa: how a demographic shift is changing circular design
A new way of redesigning everything has emerged.
Remaking our Living Spaces
How can science and design interact to have a positive impact on the present and future of our...
Ecosystems Design
In order to scale and implement circular products and services, we need new underlying...
Three Inspiring Stories: How Circular Design is Being Embraced Right Now
Waste and pollution are not accidents.
Reconnecting designers with their materials
Materials are all around us and in everything we use, but we are largely disconnected rom them and...
Co-designing a Better City
Cities are where the action is. More of us live in them than any time in history, they are hubs of...
- Design