Bio-based plastics in durable applications: The future of sustainable product design? A design review

Bio-based plastics in durable applications: The future of sustainable product design? A design review

Bos, P. (TU Delft Circular Product Design)
Bakker, C.A. (TU Delft Circular Product Design)
Balkenende, R. (TU Delft Circular Product Design)
Sprecher, Benjamin (TU Delft Design for Sustainability)

Lockton, Dan (editor)
Lenzi, Sara (editor)
Hekkert, Paul (editor)
Oak, Arlene (editor)
Sádaba, Juan (editor)
Lloyd, Peter (editor)

2022

This design review evaluates the use of bio-based plastics in durable consumer products. The main question is: how does the use of bio-based plastics influence the product’s design, functionality, marketing & communication, and sustainability? Although higher material prices would lead one to expect that higher value applications would be targeted, research shows bio-based plastics are mainly used in short-lived applications like packaging. This study investigates their use in durable consumer products through a design review. The results indicate that bio-based plastic usage is still in its early days in durable products. Bio-based plastics appear to be utilized as straightforward replacement of fossil-based plastic. Designers are not yet using the unique properties of bio-based plastics in the design of their products. Companies mainly exploit the green image of bio-based plastics in their marketing & communication. Their focus is on the renewable feedstock and not on sourcing, or on recovery at end-of-life.

Bio-based plastic
Product design
Design review
Circular Economy (CE)

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:fa95e209-915e-4dce-914a-adfaeb7d121a

https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.284

978-1-91229-457-2

DRS Conference Proceedings 2022

DRS 2022, 2022-06-25 → 2022-07-03, Bilbao, Spain

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Institutional Repository

conference paper

© 2022 P. Bos, C.A. Bakker, R. Balkenende, Benjamin Sprecher