Sustainable Product Design and Product Development Principles for Firms to Consider

The main focus of sustainable product development is implementing ethical principles in the product design process. Manufacturers and product designers must examine how a product is made and consider whether every procedure involved in the process negatively affects the environment’s longevity. As far as sustainable product design is concerned, a proactive (as opposed to reactive) approach is the most effective method to reduce human impacts on nature.

There is work to be done to achieve the final objective of assisting the planet to recover from the past and ongoing damages inflicted by human activities. That said, being proactive in sustainability is a giant leap from current human-centered product design practices.

Sustainable product development methods

There are three primary areas within the scope of sustainable product development, as listed below.

Sustainable inputs

The first principle concerns everything that goes into the product design process of a product, including the material and how sustainable it is. A sustainable product design calls for simplification. Suppose the product requires assembly because it is comprised of multiple separate components. In that case, the number of parts should be reduced as much as possible for efficiency. The fewer the pieces, the less energy it consumes during assembly and manufacturing. The product design process also has to consider the practical usability of the product, and sustainability promotes multipurpose non-disposable product designs.

A disposable product might be cheap, but it is a sign of inefficient product design that condones a waste of resources. The long-term environmental impact of non-recyclable disposable products is more expensive than their production cost. Except for hygiene and medical products, of which “one-time” use is an advantage rather than a drawback, being disposable is not an aspect of quality to pursue. A product should serve users as often as possible and for multiple purposes.

Sustainable outputs

The second principle revolves around the treatments possibly applied to the product after it reaches the end of its lifecycle. It is a push to promote sustainability beyond the product’s intended use. Some products are recyclable, which means they can be broken down into raw materials and used for manufacturing something else. Many products are recyclable, but it takes an elaborate plan to ensure they reach a recycling facility instead of a landfill. As wonderful as a recyclable material can be, the lack of a clearly-defined recycling plan outweighs most of its potential environmental advantages. A sustainable product ends up being something other than trash.

Resting implications

If the material is biodegradable, the manufacturers must inform buyers where and how to dispose of the product appropriately. If the purpose is to minimize human impact on the environment, the product needs to go back to where it came from in the first place. Even if it ends up in the ocean, biodegradable materials should not pollute the water and the environment. A team of engineers should conduct a thorough review to determine whether the product design meets the requirement for all three principle areas and if the subsequent manufacturing process can be streamlined for efficiency.

Principles of sustainable product design

Sustainable products were once considered a niche category, but not anymore. It has slowly become a mainstream idea, although yet to reach the point of universal adoption across all industries. The good thing is that more consumers and business-to-business (B2B) companies are aiming for sustainable solutions. Small businesses also bring forward sustainability as their core values. Ecology is often the main focus when discussing sustainability matters, and the question focuses heavily on how goods and services for human use can minimize negative impacts on the environment.

It is not just about product utilization or end-of-life management issues but also the product design and manufacturing process. In other words, consumers and manufacturers are responsible for efficiently using nature-provided resources. An experienced design for manufacturing company can help. The economic and social issues of the product design approach are closely linked with ecology. Without sustainable product design in mind, development only happens at the planet’s expense. Although rapid growth is associated with economic gain or progress, it is not guaranteed to support long-term success and, more importantly, sustainability.

On the social front, sustainable products that improve quality of life can help make consumerism less intense. Sustainable product design does not slow down the economy; on the contrary, manufacturers’ efficient use of resources and selective consumer purchases will inevitably drive innovations and developments toward more environment-friendly economic growth. For manufacturers to shift from human-centered product design to eco-friendly practices, they must review each area of the product design process and be willing to implement significant changes. The following principles might give an idea of how to come closer to the much-needed overhaul.

Form

The form factor of a product represents a crucial element of product design. Consumers perceive the product’s visual shape as a feature or a selling point; some even buy a product just because it looks good. For the designers, one of the first questions to ask when drawing the product’s layout is how the form factor and packaging affect energy consumption. The product’s size and shape must aim for efficient energy usage during manufacturing and shipping. If a product designer can design a compact product that is easy to carry and store, there is no point in making it larger and heavier than it needs to be unless it comes with additional features and functions.

Usability and Function

The human-centered product design approach does not deviate much from its eco-friendly counterparts regarding function and usability. An efficient product design allows the users to complete their tasks quickly, which means they spend less time and consume less energy with the product. A product that serves multiple functions helps reduce material usage and gives a space-saving advantage.One can argue that when a product is meant to do many jobs, it cannot do any of them as effectively as its single-purpose counterpart. It might hold some truths for specific devices, such as luxury or fashion items, but generally, multifunction devices are great.

An easy example is a cell phone; in addition to being a phone, it also works well as a calculator, a stopwatch, an alarm clock, a radio, a music player, and an address book. An all-in-one printer also replaces the need for a separate scanner and photocopy machine. It would be great for nature if product designers designed those two devices with sustainability, such as take-back programs and easy serviceability. People do not want difficult-to-use products, and multi-function and user-friendly alternatives can reduce energy consumption and waste. A freelance design for assembly expert can help create a product design that is usable and functional.

Cost-Effective Solutions

At this point, non-sustainable products are often more affordable than sustainable alternatives, and the cost is one of the reasons people want to avoid switching to sustainable alternatives. To promote sustainability, product designers and decision-makers at the manufacturers need to reduce the production cost for sustainable products. For example, product designers can test product ideas and concepts with the target consumers early in the product design phase. This is where a 3D product rendering and design company can come in very handy. While such market research requires a sizeable investment, the feedback should provide a clear product design direction to help save money on subsequent product design steps.

There is no need to include features no one needs, minimizing the use of resources and production costs. Manufacturers need a solid knowledge base about their target consumers and the context of product use. It is the only way to identify consumers’ needs and discover ways to fulfill their demands. An in-depth understanding of buyers’ preferences opens the door to an effective product development process. When the product designers know what products to make in the first place, they don’t waste resources experimenting with bad ideas.

Renewable Energy

The movement towards sustainability should begin in the manufacturing facility. A main method to intensify sustainability in the product design is to harness power from renewable energy, such as wind farms or solar panels. The initial investment in renewable energy infrastructure can be a financial burden in some countries. Still, it is good to see serious interest in developed nations to switch from carbon-dependent to zero-carbon.

Materials and Recycling

The choice of materials plays a crucial role in pursuing sustainable product design. Manufacturers should look for materials that can be quickly replenished or recycled. Woods are biodegradable, but the tree where the lumbers came from may take decades to grow back. Metals and some types of plastics are recyclable if they get to the recycling plants at the end of the product’s useful life. Product designers must be selective when choosing a material (or a combination of multiple materials) that goes into a product. Companies are responsible for providing the correct information about the type of materials and how users can dispose of the product in an eco-friendly way.

Durable Product Design

It is impossible to achieve zero waste anytime soon, but manufacturers and product designers can gradually lead consumers to sustainable purchases. Durable products that can last a long time will reduce waste; assuming they are made from heavy-duty recyclable materials, they will not end up in a landfill when it finally dies. Instead, the materials can be transformed into new durable products.

How Cad Crowd can assist

There are many ways to assemble a group of contributors. For instance, if you want to develop a sustainable product, you can get the help of Cad Crowd and take advantage of our design competitions. By hosting one, you can gather creative ideas from our large network of product design professionals and see how they can turn your initial concept into a working design that promotes sustainability.

If you’re ready to begin, simply go to our Design Contest page and create your own competition. Describe your project (include your requirements and specifications for sustainability) and set a timeline as well as your budget. Once your contest is launched, the community will then submit their designs. Learn more about how Cad Crowd connects innovators and entrepreneurs with world-class design talent or contact us for a free quote.