How to reconcile design and sustainability?

From finding innovative solutions to improve the flow of processes to proposing new visual ways to communicate, design has many functions. And one of them, perhaps the main one, is to use the intelligence of the area to make things easier to understand and to get projects off the paper.

Although it is not a surprise to anyone, it is good to stress it: the climate changes that are happening in the world are worrisome and should be part of everyone’s life from now on. After all, all of this is related to our stay here on earth, do you agree?

In this sense, design has helped us find efficient alternatives to deal with the climate context that the world is facing.

Design and sustainability

One of the design categories is intertwined with the sustainability proposal. Eco-design is focused on allying creation with sustainable practices, that is, always putting environmental impact and preservation of the environment as one of the priorities. This kind of approach is even becoming a trend among companies around the world.

In product packaging creations, the choice is to use sustainable materials and techniques in order to reduce the environmental impact. And they are not only restricted to the material, but to the entire strategy and concept used in the production. The so-called smart packaging, for example, has assets that monitor product conditions in real time. This is very important to avoid food waste. 

And sustainable design, is it the same thing?

The concept covers a much broader idea, as it is born from the union of ecodesign and social design. 

It encompasses ideas from an environmental and, social point of view, as well. It is not only focused on the final product, but on the entire process involved in planning and developing it. The life cycle, production, consumption, and disposal of the product must be taken into consideration. 

From a social point of view, this type of design is concerned with considering the social context in which the product is or will be inserted. Launching a recyclable and organic product produced through child or forced labor is contradictory, isn’t it?

Change needs to start now, and design is an important tool in this process. Considering it for strategic processes that take into account social and environmental agendas is fundamental to build an assertive strategy and help build a much healthier future.