Design is the framework for every product we use in our lives. Everything we use began as an idea, and the impact it has on the environment is decided before a single component is built.
Circular design considers a product’s end-of-life to ensure its materials are easily recoverable, components are fixable, and the entire structure is built with disassembly in mind.
Throughout the history of product design, end-of-life hasn’t been a big enough consideration. But now, there is an evolution of new industry professionals pioneering innovative circular design principles that aim to eliminate waste by keeping products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible.
In this CEI webinar, hear from experts in regeneration and regenerative design about how design can take a holistic approach to a circular economy that supports natural ecosystems. 
From material innovations to responsible business models and tackling resource access across global supply chains, hear the key takeaways about the role of designing for circularity.
What is circular design?
Circular design is a sustainable approach that focuses on creating products and systems that minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency.
It involves designing products to last longer, be easily repaired, reused, or recycled, and to avoid generating waste throughout their lifecycle.
The goal of circular design is to keep materials in circulation and reduce a product’s environmental impact by designing with the full life of a product in mind.
For example, an electronic item may include a replaceable battery, screws instead of glue for easy disassembly, and a recycled aluminium casing.
Key circular design principles
One of the core principles of circular design is planning for longevity, which means making products that last longer and can be easily repaired or upgraded.
Another key principle is designing a product that can be easily disassembled so its parts or materials can be reused or recycled. This keeps valuable resources in circulation and reduces environmental impact.
Circular design also emphasises the principle of designing out waste. By using fewer resources, avoiding toxic materials, and creating systems where by-products are repurposed, designers can significantly reduce the amount of waste generated throughout a product’s lifecycle.
Circular economy definition
Most of society is currently structured around a linear ‘take, make, throw’ economy. We take resources by extracting them from the earth, we use these resources to make products, and these products are eventually thrown away.
A circular economy revolves around keeping the resources we extract in use for longer. When a product reaches its end of life in a circular economy, instead of throwing it away, it will be easily repairable, its components will be reusable, and everything else will be recyclable.
In short, every material a product is made from remains in circulation for longer to reduce the need for the increased extraction of virgin resources.
For the circular economy to become mainstream, every product needs to be designed with circular principles in mind. Circular design means a product isn’t made to be thrown away; it’s built to be a valuable source of resources way beyond its original lifecycle. It gives everything we use a second life.