Revista 001 - The beginner’s guide to circular design
Pol Cunillera
Be proactive, not reactive. Prevent, not heal. The foundational principle of circular design can be encompassed in these phrases. Simply put, taking the initiative to stop a problem from forming is better than solving an issue once it arises.
To understand circular design, you must first understand what a circular economy is. A circular economy is a societal model where materials and products are shared, leased, repurposed, repaired and recycled, all for the purpose of producing as little waste as possible to increase their value and extend its life as long as possible. In comparison, today’s model of manufacturing and disposing is linear: we take, make, and throw away when used.
The benefits of a circular economy are enormous. Little waste will naturally lead to a lower environmental impact by using less resources and emitting less greenhouse gas in production. On a personal level, it is beneficial in the long run because we get more function out of our products by extending its life cycle.
Circular design, as the name suggests, is essential to a circular economy. It is the process of creating durable and reusable or recyclable products to support the circular economy. It means that rather than designing products for the standard linear model, we design products in a circular model.
Circular design is the process of creating durable and reusable or recyclable products to support the circular economy.
There are three principles to circular design: eliminate waste, maximize the use of resources, and regenerate the materials in which we take from the planet. If this is difficult to imagine, a useful tool to visualize and implement these is a resource loop, a loop that takes us through the life cycle of said resource.
Closing loops eliminates waste by reusing or repurposing materials to prevent them from becoming waste. This is the most difficult loop to accomplish because it requires little to no material degradation to be done indefinitely. However, it is not impossible. For instance, our team at SURU used rPET, a recycled plastic, to be transformed into a soft yet durable textile. This, in turn, keeps the plastic from going to waste and polluting our planet.
Narrowing loops means using resources as efficiently as possible to maximize function. It sounds a little complex but there are a variety of ways to narrow loops such as simplifying a product to have as few components as possible and reducing the energy needed to make said products. In other words, use as little resources and energy as possible per product while keeping it functional.
Slowing loops lengthens their life cycle before they are disposed of. If we focus on quality and workmanship, the products we buy will last longer and thus less materials will be needed in the long run. Modular design is another effective method. When one part of a whole breaks, we usually toss the whole thing. But modular design splits a product into different components that can each be replaced. In this scenario, throwing the entire product is unnecessary. We would only need to replace the broken part, thus lengthening the life span of the product. To repair or refurbish would also extend the life of worn out or broken down products.
Modular design splits a product into different components that can each be replaced.
Naturally, some waste is inevitable even with all these methods. However, if a product is made using compostable materials, when it reaches the end of its life cycle, it will give back to the planet rather than damage it.
Circular design is an extremely powerful tool to lower environmental impact. The methods in which to implement this are not far-fetched nor impossible. In fact, it just requires all of us to be a little more conscious of how many things we toss out when there are other alternatives. It requires us to be a little more conscious of how our products are made. It allows us to respect our planet and be a little more aware of how much we take. It is one of the core tenets at SURU. Circular design is the foundation in which our products are meticulously designed and crafted. Our materials are carefully selected for their low environmental impact. We design for longevity, repairability, and durability to contribute to a circular economy.