Circular economy framework for sustainable product design strategies

Abstract

Limited global resources, climate changes, growing population, combined with demand for sustainable products, indicate the need for change of existing production and consumption practices. In order of achieving more regenerative, restorative, and circular economy, design has been recognized as a catalyst for moving away from the traditional linear economy model (take-make-dispose). As shifting focus from quantity to quality, and finding new ways of working in cooperation with the nature, slowly becoming paradigm, it is important for designers committed to sustainability to have in mind environmental, social and economic performance of product design. This paper aims to address position of different product design strategies correlated with circular economy concept, as well as the opportunities for designers’ to shift their mindset from the position of creators to solution providers.