JO:Cradle to cradle

Cradle-to-Cradle design concept is the challenge for the 21st century designer. This sets the course for a circular economy creating the attitude of waste=food.

On an emotional level we need to ask ourselves how do we design for the love of us and our world. Designing less bad doesn’t protect the environment. As designers we must look at the different aspects. Using fewer chemicals to make designs more environmentally friendly. Using materials that can be reused over and over again; not only cuts costs, it also saves waste. ‘Disassembly’ design makes the product easy to capture for recycling. Sustainability should also be considered.

Great designers are using ‘cradle to cradle’ and ‘disassembly’ concepts. One example is the good old sports shoe. The giant company ‘Nike’, has taken up the challenge and given incentive to their clients to return their old shoes for recycling. The shoe is then cut away from the sole and the sole remoulded for new soles.

‘Nike’ is going a further step with the ‘disassembly’ concept of their new ‘Nike Consider’ shoe. The upper part of the shoe is made of natural hemp fabric and fibres without glue or synthetic padding or lining. The upper part is stitched to a rubber net style frame. Into this from the inside of the shoe pops the recycled sole. When it is time to replace the shoe it can be sent back to ‘Nike’ for disassembly. Soles get reused and the hemp is then used for animal fodder or fertiliser.

China has adopted “Cradle-to-cradle” as their national policy. As their population grows, new measures have been taken for the construction to recyclable housing comprising of low energy use building material like sand and straw. To keep the country people on the land sustainable enterprises such as fuel crops are being instigated as well as renewable crops.

Cradle to cradle design also calls for redesign and reinvent and rethink.