Circularity is a crucial aspect of modern-day design.
Our economy is linear: We take materials from the earth → Turn them into goods → Return them to the earth as waste. With finite resources, that can’t continue.
A circular approach to product development BREAKS that straight line by:
🌱 Designing out waste – using durable, non-toxic materials and methods.
🌱 Extending the life of products – efficient use, redistribution, and recycling.
🌱 Regenerative nature – Returning waste material to nature in a non-harmful way.
🌱 Repurposing products – extending a product’s lifetime with new, additional uses.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s the best diagram (courtesy of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation) we’ve found that explains the circular concept.