We need to do better
ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO, Spain
Issue
07-8/2024
Monomateriality: A Path Toward Simpler, Smarter Recycling
One of the most pressing challenges in design today is recycling. Technological advances over the past century have given us access to new materials, tools, and machinery, allowing us to manufacture products faster and at lower cost. Globalisation has made it easier to source materials from around the world, enabling designers to build products where each component is made from the most suitable and cost-effective material.
A seemingly minimalist lamp, for example, might feature glass from Italy, steel manufactured in China and coated with paint mixed in the UK, electronic components assembled in Germany using raw materials from several continents, and packaging made from Siberian forest cardboard.
In some cases, using a range of materials is unavoidable. But for others, we can significantly simplify the process by reducing the design to a single material. This approach—known as monomateriality—not only streamlines production but also dramatically improves the recyclability or reusability of the product at the end of its life cycle.
ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO, Spain
Issue
02/2024
Self-Regulating Sustainability: Rethinking Responsibility
The furniture industry is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions. From the extraction and processing of materials to the transportation of goods—both between manufacturers and to end consumers—and the waste generated by discarded products, the sector faces significant environmental challenges. A fully decarbonised industry remains a distant goal.
Nonetheless, the steps we can take toward this ideal should become standard practice for any manufacturer in a position to adopt them. European regulations often take years to be agreed upon and even longer to be implemented. Financial support for businesses tends to be insufficient and difficult to access.
With the accelerating impacts of climate change, the responsibility to improve our practices can no longer rest solely on complying with mandatory regulations. We must explore and adopt sustainable methods proactively and take responsibility for self-regulating within our own operations.
ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO, Spain
Issue
06/2023
Sustainable Choices: The Role of the Consumer
Despite a 10% drop during the pandemic, the furniture industry has bounced back, reaching nearly $500 billion in global revenue in both 2021 and 2022. The market continues to grow, although purchasing trends have shifted in recent years—driven in part by increasing awareness of sustainability.
What’s really pushing the adoption of greener practices in production? Are manufacturers responding to consumer demand, government regulation, or both? While the growing sense of social responsibility is undeniable, there’s a common assumption that the burden of reducing environmental impact lies primarily with big-name design brands. And yet, as consumers, our role may be just as—if not more—critical.
How can we truly understand the environmental cost of the objects we use every day? Thanks to public access to information laws, much of what we can and should know is readily available. The question is: what should we be looking for, and how can we meaningfully interpret what we find?
