You're brainstorming product design ideas. How can you incorporate sustainable materials effectively?

Incorporate sustainable materials effectively by first researching options that align with your product's requirements, such as recycled, biodegradable, or locally sourced materials. Integrate these materials early in the design process to ensure compatibility with functionality and aesthetics. Use material samples and prototypes to assess performance and appearance. Collaborate with suppliers and designers who specialize in sustainable materials to explore innovative applications. Emphasize durability and life-cycle impacts to ensure long-term sustainability. By embedding sustainability from the outset, you can create designs that are both environmentally friendly and functional.

As a sustainability manager, it can be challenging to fully grasp the complexities of all the new materials being introduced. Therefore, collaboration with the design department and an expert in materials specific to your industry is essential. Leveraging existing expertise is far more efficient and effective than attempting to build this knowledge from scratch within your organization. For instance, in the real estate sector, relying solely on suppliers for information about new materials may be insufficient, as they might adhere to traditional approaches. Engaging external experts can provide fresh perspectives, challenge established practices, and encourage the sourcing department to explore more innovative and sustainable options.

Turning to more sustainable materials is one of the first steps in your sustainability journey. However, you need time for proper research and test of any innovative material. You can always try a couple of options to see what works best for the rest of the team and for the product. Especially with fashion, many options out there haven’t been tested enough, so test various things - how the material reacts during washing for instance, can it withhold commercial usage, can it be recycled etc. Evaluate potential risk, do wear tests and don’t worry if something doesn’t work out now, perhaps it can be used elsewhere or you can find a better alternative. Don’t hang on one material, be open minded.

LCA is a difficult thing, especially if you have lots of new products all the time. My advice is: start from carry over products, materials and suppliers that stay constant. Build a good framework that includes: raw material extraction, water usage, emissions, etc and then you can additionally build up with the rest of your products that are slightly more complex. The key here is to try and get info that is super accurate, otherwise LCA will be pointless. Hence - start slowly and keep adding things. Also be patient with your suppliers as they need to provide you with clear data - that might not be so easy for them. Assist them as much as possible.

Conducting a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of various stages of a product's life. This analysis provides critical insights into the environmental impacts associated with every phase of a product’s lifecycle. However, LCA is a highly specific skillset that is often not fully integrated into today’s business operations. Given its complexity, relying solely on internal teams without the necessary expertise can lead to incomplete or inaccurate assessments. To effectively implement LCA, it's crucial to collaborate with professionals who specialize in this area. These experts bring a comprehensive understanding of the methodologies and tools required to conduct a thorough analysis.

When it comes to innovation, you need to be prepared that there might be some hurdles along the way. After all it is something new that you are trying, so risks can pop up anytime. I had this in the past, where we would think that something is really great and sustainable, but suddenly as we get to production, we would realise that actually there is this problem and that one. Unfortunately it's a trial-error thing and you need to make sure you are allowing enough time for research and development to minimise risks. If you have the budget, try a small production run before full blown production happens. Otherwise, write down risks and combat them at development stage as much as possible.

Collaboration is great, I always encourage it. For instance you can collaborate with suppliers to reduce your CO2 emissions. You can strike a deal for lower production cost, while helping them financially to instal solar panels. I also encourage collaborations with students who often need practical experience while preparing final dissertations. While they can create framework for you for LCA for instance, you can link them with real suppliers and get them to practice real life scenarios. In terms of Design, I often suggest to the Design team to visit factories where they can get some fresh ideas and learn innovative skills that might help them in future.

It has become very difficult in Fashion to communicate your sustainable efforts. Using the right legal language is crucial nowadays, as you want to avoid greenwashing and accusations. My advice is to always consult with legal adviser before making statements on your website or any other platform. Also, always give measurable data, so it is clear what part of the collection / product range is sustainable. For instance, don't say "we use sustainable materials", but go somewhere along the lines of: "65% of materials used are certified and 20% are of natural origin" That way you show you actually have proof behind your statements.