Sustainable Design

We are currently at a critical moment for the future of the planet, and users are increasingly aware that change is required. Chile is no exception. According to a study conducted by the Climate and Public Opinions International Observatory across 30 countries, Chile is the country where concern for the environment has grown the most (2019).

As a result, there is a clear trend toward using and valuing brands and companies with a sustainable focus. But what do we really mean by sustainability? As part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations states that:
“Sustainable consumption and production consist of doing more and better with less (…) It is about decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable lifestyles.”

While individual efforts exist—such as reducing consumption or recycling waste—it becomes nearly impossible to disengage from the system and achieve this goal without companies and organizations actively supporting people. This is where service design can intervene, helping different stakeholders move from a linear system of “buy, use and dispose” to a circular one.

What Does Sustainable Design Do?

On the one hand, service design invites companies and organizations to address customer needs through product–service systems: business models focused on services that replace—or combine with—the sale of products. These systems are designed around solving customer needs—for example, “I need to wash my clothes”—rather than selling products—“I need to buy a washing machine.” Essentially, they shift the perspective from owning a product to focusing on its performance or utility and, consequently, on its impact throughout its life cycle.

On the other hand, service design can redefine the relationship between companies and customers by actively involving users in the return of materials or products so they can be reinserted into the supply chain. Examples include Daisy, the robot developed by Apple to recover materials from discarded devices, or products designed for easy disassembly so their components can be recycled.

Another interesting case is Nespresso, which added a capsule collection and reuse service to its coffee and machine sales. This initiative closes the waste loop through a service-based approach: the recovered aluminum is later reused in the manufacturing of new devices.

All of this highlights the relevance of design as a bridge toward a more sustainable future—by redefining problems, exploring new solutions, and inviting not only companies but also consumers to recognize the value of these models. Through the creation of user journeys that integrate this perspective, we can move toward a future where owning a product is no longer necessary, and instead we ask ourselves which service best fulfills our needs.