Design for Change
13-Oct-2021
Design encompasses everything -- how products are made, what they’re made of, and how we use and dispose of them. Design encompasses everyday practices and entire ecosystems. So how do we spark design for change? As we shared in our Edition Four of our Inspire It Forward newsletter, here is inspiration around this topic: DIVERSIFYING: A newly launched industry collaborative Diversity in Design seeks to address the lack of Black creatives in design. REDEEMING: IKEA, often seen as part of the “fast furniture” problem, is now striving for the forefront of creating ‘circular’ solutions. Behold the transformations: IKEA Lamp, 2002 to IKEA Lamp, 2018 to 2021’s See Where Your Old IKEA Furniture Goes to Die. DOING: Companies seeking to play a positive role in the change: Design for Good: How to Make Making a Difference a Core Part of Your Business.
REGENERATING: Where some see expired lentils, others envision homeware. OTTAN Studio turns orange peels, cut grass and carrot pulp into design objects.
PAUSING: Before throwing out those old jeans or buying the next pair, check out See the Horrifying Place Where Your Old Clothes Go to Die and then read Maxine Bedat’s “Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment”.
WATCHING: Renowned artist Vik Muniz takes garbage picking to a whole new level. In “Waste Land,” Muniz dives into the world's largest dump, transforming waste into art, community and awareness. Watch directly on PBS.
GETTING STARTED: The next big thing in design is circular; here’s a guide to this radical, regenerative and restorative approach: Circular Design Guide.
This is the start of a conversation. We’d love to hear how you’re designing for change and be sure to sign up to get our next Inspire It Forward sent directly to your inbox.
