Hasta La Ideas

For all that’s happened in 2022 to prove why the world needs to kick sustainability efforts into high gear, any optimistic news pertaining to climate change can feel fleeting. Luckily, we managed to find some uplifting examples within the design world of projects that might just help move the needle when it comes to sustainability in design. Some projects featured tackle huge issues (like sustainable building materials and energy), while others take on seemingly miniature problems (like plastic-free coffee pods) that could have a huge impact at scale.

Here’s some of the most interesting sustainable design news we came across in 2022:

A studio of young designers created 3D-printed parts to repair commonly broken objects 

A Swiss company developed a no-capsule coffee pod

ByFusion developed a concrete block alternative made from difficult-to-recycle plastic 

In an interview with sustainable rug company CICIL, the founders discuss the importance of thoughtful supply chain in creating radically sustainable systems

This “Stackabl” system of furniture was designed from locally-sourced factory off-cuts

Package designers made a clever and simple structural change to packaging to make it more easily recyclable

A Texas A&M architecture professor taught students ways to design using industrial waste

An interview with futurist Alisha Bhagat, where she explains how looking back in time could lead us to brighter, more regenerative futures

A report in 2022 claimed that plastic recycling “does not work” and “never will work.”

While this isn’t exactly uplifting news, it is useful information for designers looking for ways to implement change that will actually make an impact.

Aurea invented a portable wind turbine that’s “about the size of a 1-liter water bottle”

London based studio Blond designed an attractive, folding wireless charger, designed for disassembly

A closures manufacturer actually took responsibility for recycling their own packaging

Estonian startup Woola developed a bubble wrap alternative made from waste wool

And finally, a concept called “Amazon After” demonstrated how people could sell, recycle or donated unwanted items on the Amazon platform