Waste is everywhere and as much as we try to be aware of what we are consuming, waste essentially begins at the start – the design phase. Waste is considered a design flaw from a combination of poor planning, no consideration of the future when decision making, and an outdated approach when it comes to the processes or how the products are created.
Where did things go wrong?
We went from creating products by hand, with intention and a specific purpose, and a quality that couldn’t be matched. Then came along systems and processes that could mass produce products at a huge scale whether people needed or wanted them.
This lowered the quality of the products so they didn’t last as long, therefore needing you to repurchase the product at a later date. These processes also allowed the companies to produce products at a lower price, making it more appealing to the customer.
In the end, once it was no longer required or became broken, it was easier and more affordable to throw it away and buy another one.
Let’s take a closer look at the reasons why waste is a design flaw.
- Products are designed to be discarded. When profits are key for most product-based businesses, the aim is to get the item made at the cheapest rate possible. This affects the quality and therefore the lifespan of the item. Whether we like to admit it or not, many businesses plan for this, so the customer will come back and buy again. Some examples of this is fast fashion, electronics with sealed batteries and cheap plastic products that break easily. This is an intentional design choice by the company that leads to massive waste.
- Circulatory isn’t considered when choosing materials. Current design methods only focus on the short term benefits of the product, and will rarely consider what happens to a product at the end of its life. Synthetic materials are cheaper than natural materials to use, so will be used more often. These often can’t be reused, repaired or recycled, and will end up in landfill or incinerated. Better design practices could includes natural materials that are biodegradable or compostable, so that they can be returned to the earth, or at least recyclable so they can be recycled and created into something new.
- Packaging is over-engineered or unnecessary. Many products only consider how they are made, not the packaging that goes into it when it needs to be put on display or sent out to the customer. Packaging can be an afterthought at times, and at other times be as important as the product itself. Many products are overpackaged, using way more materials than needed. This can include single use plastics, excessive wrapping, or components that are hard to recycle.
What’s the solution?
When creating a new product, brands need to be more intentional about what they are creating, how they are creating it and the reason they are doing it. The values of the company need to align with a more sustainable way of life, otherwise profits will always win out. If there isn’t a true passion for a better way of doing things then you will always be tempted by a cheaper option, which could mean choosing a less sustainable material or compromising on the quality of the product.
Better design considers every aspect of the product development including product lifespan, repairability, recyclability and even return systems.
The solution also lies with us as consumers. Being intentional about what we are purchasing, and mindful about what it’s made from and how it’s made. When a product is sustainably made, it’s generally more expensive and you have invested more of your money into it, therefore you might subconsciously want to look after it more. You’ll want to take care of the item, and perhaps even repair it when it breaks instead of throwing it away.
Nature has no waste.
In nature there is no waste and everything is reused. Good design utilises this. It’s a brands responsibility to re-evaluate the way products are being designed right from the beginning. Planning products with sustainability at the forefront will help create a more circular economy. The more businesses that do this will begin to change the way consumers think about the products they buy. This will then change consumers perceptions over time and create a more meaningful impact on our environment.
Waste is not an accident – it’s a direct result of how things are designed. So let us as consumers be intentional about what we buy, and support the businesses reducing waste and valuing sustainability.
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