Published : 08/07/2023

Eco design and advertising objects

- Categories : Eco-responsible goodies

But what is eco-design?

Eco-design is the integration of environmental protection before, during and after the manufacture of a product/service. Everything is analyzed and quantified, from the initial input of raw materials, through processing, assembly, transportation and use, right up to the end of the product's life. In this way, we can take action to reduce its environmental impact throughout its life cycle.

Why switch to eco-design?

The cause is a predominantly linear economy: after use and end-of-life, the product is not thought through and designed to be "recyclable" or second-hand. The problem is products with a short lifespan or single use.

A product designed to save resources has less and less place in the transition to a green economy. The economy of functionality is now much more widely considered, replacing the notion of selling the good with that of selling the use of the good, thereby decoupling added value from the consumption of energy and raw materials. This is part of the circular economy.
The aim is also to understand the impact and define the first actions to limit it.

For example, the life cycle of a cotton textile

And it all starts with LCA, theLife Cycle Assessment of a product. To define LCA, it's the principle of bringing together and evaluating the inputs (raw material withdrawals), outputs (gas emissions, waste, etc.) and potential environmental impacts of a product during its life cycle. Ultimately, LCA enables us to measure the quantifiable effects of products or services on the environment.

LCA is a tool to help you make the transition to eco-design, with a 3-part approach!

A preventive approach

- All human activities, whether economic or otherwise, have an impact on the environment.
- Ecodesign: Integrating environmental protection into the design of goods and services.

A global approach

- Multi-stage: extraction of raw materials, production, distribution, use and end-of-life.
- Multi-criteria: consumption of materials and energy, emissions into the environment, impact on climate and biodiversity, etc.
- Multi-actor: involvement of all stakeholders.

A comprehensive approach

- Find design options to reduce the severity of major environmental problems.
- Evaluate improvements to ensure their effectiveness and that they do not exacerbate other impacts.