Ecodesign Directive for Sustainable Products (ESPR): 2023 Overview

Packaging

What is the Ecodesign Directive? The EU’s Ecodesign Directive (2009) prescribes energy-related Ecodesign criteria for certain products and communicates this through energy labels. So far, it saved consumers 120 Billion euros of energy expenditure (!!), and lowered energy consumption of the regulated products by 10% in 2021. The Ecodesign Directive is based on the sustainable […]

Cradle-to-Gate in LCA: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Cradle to gate in LCA

Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) following “Cradle-to-Gate” – measure a product’s environmental footprint up to the point where it leaves the factory gate. This means the environmental footprint results don’t include the footprint of product use by customers and its end-of-life processes (waste/recycling/upcycling).  Cradle-to-gate simplifies and speeds up the LCA process. This is handy in certain […]

EU’s Right to Repair: Updates for Product Design

Right to Repair_Sustainable Product Design_Ecochain

The Right to Repair is a policy movement aiming for longer-lasting products. Right to Repair Legislation can force producers to enable product repairs in various ways. And empower consumers by offering repair information and DIY options.  The lifetime of our electronic appliances is generally lower than what they’re originally designed for. This disappoints consumers as […]

Comparison of Top LCA Software: Your Ultimate Guide to LCA Solutions

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the scientific method to measure the environmental footprint of products and services. Sustainability, climate change, the circular economy – they’re all becoming part of everyday business. As a result, the market for LCA tools develops quickly. Companies have an increasing need for LCA software. In this article, we highlight and […]

How ZeroPackaging reduced the carbon footprint of Vodafone’s packaging by 48%

ZeroPackaging

From design to delivery ZeroPackaging – an initiative by Paxpring, designs and delivers complete, eco-friendly packaging solutions. With a wide variety of customers like Samsung, Fairphone, Vodafone, etc – they offer tailored sustainable packaging in e-commerce, fashion, and consumer electronics. ZeroPackaging shows the market that amazing quality & low environmental impact – go hand in […]

Guide To Sustainable Product Design (2024 Update)

Sustainable design

The difference between Ecodesign, sustainable design & circular design for products, is that they approach what ‘sustainability’ in product design means – slightly differently. As sustainability becomes part of business, understanding the different sustainable design approaches is crucial for R&D. How do you deliver the most environmentally friendly products? And proof it? When you finish […]

Life Cycle Assessments & The Fashion Industry: The Good, The Bad, The Potential

With the recent increase in greenwashing claims for big names like H&M, Boohoo, Asos, Asda, Life Cycle Assessments (*LCA for short) as a measurement method for the environmental impact of products – has come under quite a lot of critique.  These brands are often accused of showing inaccurate environmental data and untransparent/bad sustainability reporting. Of […]

Primary vs. Secondary Data: What’s The Best In LCA?

Thinking about primary vs secondary data in LCA

To make an LCA of your product(s) you need data. Think of the energy usage for your manufacturing and waste processes, data on your purchased & used raw materials, etc. Much data can be found in your own finance or purchase department. But with supply chain data (e.g. purchased raw materials) it’s trickier. How do you get […]

The Data You Need For a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Data Collection Guide for LCA's_Header

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a scientific method to measure the environmental footprint of a product. The result: 15+ impact outcomes. But before you can measure, you need information on your product. Think of data on your usages & emissions, utilities, transport, materials, etc. That’s why the first step in measuring LCA’s is Data Collection. Data […]

Skullcandy: live a sustainable life at full volume

Skullcandy_headphones image

Kitchen appliances, TVs, phones, iPads, laptops, hair blowers, headphones… It’s one of the fastest-growing demands & waste streams in the world: consumer electronics. The UN estimates humans generate 50 million tonnes of electronic (EE) waste- annually. Imagine all the material resources and products necessary for the production & packaging of all these goods (mining metals, […]