What do we actually mean by sustainable in craft and design?
The term ‘sustainable design’ is used a lot these days. At a recent tradeshow, I overheard an attendee asking if a product was sustainable and the exhibitor replying ‘It depends on what you mean by ‘sustainable’. As a term I use quite a lot myself, this got me thinking- what do we actually mean when we talk about ‘sustainable craft’ or ‘sustainable design’?
The dictionary definition of sustainable is 1. ‘able to be maintained at a certain rate or level’. 2. ‘able to be upheld or defended’. So based on that definition would it be correct to say that when we are talking about sustainable craft and design we are talking about maintaining and upholding a standard of craft and design that has a positive impact in the world including on people, places or culture?
To maintain something is to make a commitment to oversee, care for and nurture it. Maintenance calls for responsibility, and an awareness about why it needs to be done and why doing so matters. And this fits in with the ideas we have around sustainable design and what we mean when we use the term.
Sustainable doesn’t just have one specific focus, there are several factors that can be applied to the different aspects of craft and design. We’ve identified 5 of them as follows:
1. Livelihood
A sustainable livelihood is about the maker getting enough work to make a decent living so that they can continue to practise their craft. A decent living calls for access to markets, fair prices and wages, safe working conditions, and respect for what they do.
2. Material
Sustainable materials are those that are obtained and used with consideration to minimising destructive environmental impact and harmful effects on people’s health. Sustainable refers to how materials are sourced, a material’s properties, toxicity levels, and its ability to bio-degrade or be recycled, repurposed, reclaimed or renewed. Sustainable materials also extend to the type, use and disposal of product labelling and packaging.
3. Production
Sustainable production is all about the techniques and processes employed to create objects. Sustainable products are well made with longevity or responsible disposal in mind. Sustainable production is often linked to slow, considered processes where handmade is respected and valued in the face of a throw-away culture fuelled by mass consumerism. While sustainable production is seen to encourage bespoke or small batch-made products over mass production, it is the thought, care and consideration that goes into the process that is key to making something sustainable.
4. Preservation
Are craft skills being preserved or being allowed to die? If sustainability is about maintaining something, then preserving a craft, skill, technique, heritage or family legacy is a sustainable act. Design can help craft thrive and makers who are unfraid to evolve or experiment give craft a place in modern day life. This in turn helps preserve the craft so it can be passed on to future generations ensuring it lives on.
5. Value
Value is related to the sustainablility of an object, because the more we treasure something the less likely we are to discard it. Sustainability favours the value of an object. Not its price, but its relevance and meaning. How useful are the products that are created? Can the objects be repurposed, recycled or upcycled when they are no longer needed? Do the objects display the kind of quality and sentiment that turns them into treasured heirlooms to be passed down through generations or become collectible items?
As we can see ‘sustainable’ can mean different things to:
- the maker who may focus on one area, a combination, or all
- the buyer and their focus
- the context in which we are speaking about sustainable craft and design
Ultimately sustainable craft and design is about producing and sourcing thoughtfully made objects that positively impact our world and well-being. Sustainable craft and design is not a novelty, but a reality that artisan businesses have a responsibility to consider when it comes to the products they create and sell, and the people they work with.
What does sustainable design & craft mean to you? We’d love to know your thoughts in the comments.
– Tapiwa Matsinde
[Image credits: The image shown belongs to Vie Studio via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]
