Should ‘recyclable trump recycled’ in the product design & buying lottery?
Surely, as customers we must educate ourselves, and teach the businesses that make our ‘stuff’ that truly and literally ‘enough is enough’
It is correct to prioritise ‘keeping product out of landfill’ This is most important. That is why the evolution of resell, remaking, repairing, reinventing and renting is so important. The more existing products that can remain in circulation the better.
To facilitate this, above all new products must be reusable and recyclable. There has been, for me, too much focus on ‘products made from recycled,’ Certainly as a greenwashing statement. But these are ultimately sustainably worthless if they are not also recyclable. You are simply extending the raw material by only one product life. It is still landfill bound. It is just a ‘stay of execution’
By designing recyclable products, you are also facilitating the next generation of recycled products. It does not necessarily work the other way around.
To design products that are always recyclable, is what creates the circular approach and is what avoids landfill. Product design must prioritise recyclability and reusability.
Designers and buyers unfortunately, either inadvertantly or without caring, use ‘monster hybrids’ of materials that make their ‘creations’ unresuable or unrecyclable. This is partly down to poor education, partly down to exploitation of cheap resources and manufacturing.
Ultimately we come to my favourite ‘least-favourite’ subject volume. Until customers put value before volume, then designers and buyers will not do so. But only when the ‘value is in the value’ for brands will the product attention be truly focused on ensuring quality and detailing that allows reusability and recyclability.
As customers we must educate ourselves, and teach the businesses that make our ‘stuff’ that truly and literally ‘enough is enough’