Design is around us in every part of life, from the houses that we live in to the devices we communicate with to the products we clean with. Good designers are an invaluable resource to companies that need a solid, functional, aesthetically-pleasing product. This is why so many brands are hiring product design services to create or re-envision their products.
In order to meet mass production needs while also following the ever-moving trends of consumer habits, it is important to have designers that are socially conscious. This often translates into the product development process as well. Now that environmental impacts are coming into question when it comes to product life cycles, product design companies are starting to consider how they can reduce energy emissions and waste.
Designers are more than just artists sketching out the blueprints for some bright idea. Nowadays, product design consists of business strategy as well as creative skill and technological fluency. Product designers aim to transform. In order to protect the environment from further harm, product design services must rethink consumption in a global market as a whole. Within the product development process, bigger questions are starting to guide a more eco-conscious creation of products. For example, designers are thinking about raw materials in terms of biodegradability. How long is a product going to take to break down after its life cycle has ended? Can it be repurposed into fuel or disassembled for parts in the meantime?
In order to successfully design for a more sustainable future, a product design and development company must integrate certain approaches within their development process. They must think about the environmental impact of a product from its initial conception to its manufacturing to its distribution and, finally, its disposal. Here are some of the ways that product designers can create more eco-conscious products:
- Reduce waste and scraps by making more efficient use of materials and managing resources.
- Minimize pollution by a product’s end of life by avoiding toxic materials and choosing to source materials that are quicker to biodegrade.
- Optimize production processes with rigorous scheduling to conserve energy and limit emissions.
- Improve product features to reduce energy consumption during operation.
- Maximize the amount of recyclable components and replaceable parts.
- Extend the overall life cycle of the product, making it less disposable.
- Respect current environmental laws and constraints when it comes to manufacturing and distribution.
In applying these guidelines to product development, product designers will be contributing to a more efficient, healthy, and safe world. Environmentalism is not just a trend for today, it is a dominating and overarching theme that will impact consumer habits moving forward. Consumers have already begun to support products and brands that take eco-consciousness seriously. More and more people are aware of their carbon footprint and actively trying to decrease it in order to pave the way for a brighter future. As long as legislation continues to support this cause, industries will have to evolve with the times. Product designers, as always, are ahead of the curve and moving toward innovation.