Sustainable design & product development with circular economy and upcycling

Kyungeun Sung / School of Design
Product Development 2 Design Workshop Series
School of Engineering, University of Liverpool (24/04/2018)
Sustainable design & product development
with circular economy and upcycling
Dr. Kyungeun Sung
Product Design
School of Design
Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities
Kyungeun.sung@dmu.ac.uk

Personal introduction

2001-2004: BSc in Industrial Design

2005-2007: Product Designer

2007-current
 2007-2010 MSc in Strategic Product Design
 2011-2012 Design Researcher and UX Designer in Mobile Communication
 2012-2013 Lecturer in Industrial Design and Technology
 2013-2017 PhD in Sustainable Design
 Jan-Sep 2017 Research Associate/Fellow
 Sep 2017-current VC2020 Lecturer in Product Design

Workshop introduction

Rationale behind this workshop: UN’s SDGs
Source: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300

Rationale behind this workshop: emerging CE
 European Commission: new Circular
Economy Package
 WRAP: visions and support for the
UK CE to 2020
 Ellen McArthur Foundation
 China: national strategies
 …
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/index_en.htm; http://www.wrap.org.uk/about-us/about/wrap-and-circular-economy;
https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/interactive-diagram; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652612006117

Rationale behind this workshop: upcycling
Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/interactive-diagram

Rationale behind this workshop: upcycling SMEs
Source: http://www.upcycledfurniture.co.uk/product/the-american-fluted-chair/; http://annika-n.co.uk/; http://seadriftdesign.bigcartel.com/

Rationale behind this workshop: scaling up
Source: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31125/
 Niche practices
becoming mainstream
(regimes)
 Interventions across a
range of scales
involving various
actors
 Systems approach
required

Rationale behind this workshop: system maps
Source: http://www.xinli-lin.com/gg-co-learning/

Learning outcomes
By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:
 Discuss different approaches to sustainable design, production and
consumption (including circular economy and upcycling);
 Explain challenges faced by upcycling-based businesses in the UK; and
 Generate and develop ideas, concepts and system maps to resolve
complex/wicked design problems involving multiple stakeholders (scaling
up upcycling businesses in the UK) individually and as a team

Sustainable practice

Sustainable practice/behaviour
 National governments and inter-governmental organisations: national
policies, EU regulations, UN SDGs, etc.
 Local authorities: waste management, recycling, etc.
 Companies: product take-back, CSR activities, etc.
 Designers: design for disassembly, selection of low impact materials, etc.
 Individuals: repair, reuse, recycling, walk/cycling/public transportation
(instead of driving cars), sustainably sourced food, 2nd hand market, etc.
 …

Sustainable practice example: paper recycling
 Widely practiced
 Rate: 63-73% and improving
steadily
 Recycling bin  collected into bales
 sent to a ‘pulper’ (water and
chemicals)  cut into small pieces
 heated  separate the cellulose
fibres  form the pulp
Source: http://www.withbotheyesopen.com/

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAqVxsEgWIM
Process

Gt CO2
Sankey diagram of paper production

 Increasing the rate of waste paper collection
 Using less energy to pulp recycled paper
 Improving the yield of recycled pulp by improving the separation of ink
and other contaminants from the used paper
Improving the recycling loop

Limitations of paper recycling
 Tissue and sanitary paper CANNOT be recycled
 Some paper kept in archives
  80% recycling rates as a realistic limit (CEPI, 2009)

Beyond paper recycling
 Shared use of books, magazines, newspapers, etc.
 Less packaging
 Lighter paper
 Printing on demand
 Removing print for re-use
 E-readers
 …

Beyond papers and beyond recycling

Sources of global CO2 emissions

Approximate numbers about key materials

Concern about escalating demand for materials
 Resource shortages
 Water stress
 Land stress
 By-products and toxic chemicals
 Climate change
 …

Strategies towards sustainable use of materials
 Use less materials by design
 Reduce yield losses (pre-consumption waste)
 Divert manufacturing scrap for reuse (not recycling)
 Reuse of old components before recycling
 Product lifetime extension
 Final demand reduction

Circular economy

Circular economy
Source: https://www.nature.com/news/the-circular-economy-1.19594
 Turning goods that
are at the end of
their service life into
resources for others,
closing loops in
industrial ecosystems
and minimizing waste

Kyungeun Sung / School of DesignSource: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/interactive-diagram
Circular economy

Kyungeun Sung / School of DesignSource: http://www.wrap.org.uk/about-us/about/wrap-and-circular-economy
 Waste reduction
 Greater resource productivity
 More competitive UK economy
 Better addressing emerging resource
scarcity issues
 Reducing the environmental impacts
of our production and consumption
in both the UK and abroad
Circular economy in the UK

Kyungeun Sung / School of DesignSource: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/jobs-growth-and-investment/towards-circular-economy_en
 Circular Economy Package: actions contributing to
“closing the loop” of product lifecycles through greater
recycling and re-use, and bringing benefits for both the
environment and economy
  maximum value and use from all raw materials,
products and waste, fostering energy savings and
reducing GHGs
Circular economy in EU

Kyungeun Sung / School of DesignSource: https://www.ifixit.com/; https://repaircafe.org/en/ https://therestartproject.org/groups/restarters-leicester/
Circular economy in practice: Repair

Circular economy in practice: Repair
http://www.roathcardiff.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/450-
Oxfam-shop-Albany-Road-300x224.jpg
https://www.letsrecycle.com/wp-
content/uploads/2016/07/charity-shop-crop.gif
http://www.mswandas.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2012/05/cancer_researchfront.jpg
https://www.ilovefreegle.org/https://www.ebay.co.uk/ https://www.gumtree.com/

Circular economy in practice: Upcycling
http://www.sarahturner.co.uk/Cola%2010/cola30.html
http://www.upcycledfurniture.co.
uk/product/the-american-fluted-
chair/
http://hbu.h-
cdn.co/assets/15/46/14471861
25-tarva-ikea-hack.jpg
http://www.angharadmclaren.co.uk/
#/weaving-darns/
https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b2/3d/93/b23d938511
b2da3c389190f91c55cbf9.jpg
https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6a/e4/04/6ae404c
1afdf06bf5d1e4cf23e7eb8cc.jpg

Kyungeun Sung / School of DesignSource: https://www.uber.com/en-GB/; http://www.Airbnb.co.uk
Circular economy in practice: Share

Circular economy in practice: PSS (Product Service System)
http://www.lighting.philips.co.uk/services/lighting-capital https://ssl.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000HVv1ygOo1nA/fit=1000x750/UK-Laundrette-0161.jpg

Kyungeun Sung / School of DesignSource: https://shop.fairphone.com/en/
Circular economy in practice:
Product design for repair, reuse, upcycling, etc.

Sustainable design

Green design
Source: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/design-for-sustainable-change-9782940439775/
 Early 1990s ~
 Design’s ecological
impact
 Focusing on single issue:
e.g. materials or energy
consumption
 Often using recycled
materials
https://designmuseum.org/design/chairs-1990s

Eco design
 Late 1990s ~
 Holistic view of where designers
should influence
 Throughout the complete life
cycle of the product
 Lifecycle thinking
 Lifecycle assessment
 From efficiency to effectiveness
https://app.sustainableminds.com/learning-center/ecodesign-strategies/strategy-wheel
Source: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/design-for-sustainable-change-9782940439775/

Design for sustainable behaviour
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142694X09000301
 2000~
 Focusing on use phase
 Focusing on resource efficiency
(water, energy, etc.)
 Influencing consumer
behaviour in household

Design for sustainability (sustainable development)
Source: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300

Sustainability
Source: United Nations General Assembly (2005:12) and UNESCO (2001: Preface and Article 3) in https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/design-for-sustainable-change-9782940439775/
Sustainable development
Environment
Society
Economy
Society
Environment Economy
Bearable Equitable
Viable
Sustainable

Evolution of design for sustainability
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142694X16300631
 Product innovation level
 Product-service system innovation level
 Spatio-social innovation level
 Socio-technical system innovation level

Upcycling research

Project background
Source: http://ciemap.leeds.ac.uk/
UK target: Reductions
in GHGs by 80% from
1990 levels by 2050.
Government’s
commitment: RCUK
Energy Programme.
CIE-MAP goal: Identify opportunities that may
ultimately deliver a reduction in GHGs.

Upcycling
http://ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/11/54ff6adf88ead-peplum.jpg http://www.flashdrivepros.com/Images/1000recoveredflashdrives.jpg
Creation or modification of a product from used materials, components or
products which is of equal or higher quality or value than the compositional
elements (Sung, Cooper & Kettley 2014; Sung 2017)
Source: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31125/; https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/14672

Benefits of upcycling
Environmental:
 extending lifetimes of used products, components and materials 
increasing material efficiency + reducing industrial energy consumption
(Allwood, Ashby, Gutowski, & Worrell, 2011)  lowering GHGs (Hamit-Haggar, 2012)
 Reducing solid waste (Bramston & Maycroft, 2013)
Economic: creating jobs (businesses) + saving money (consumers)
Social: offering jobs for disadvantaged people (businesses) +
emotional/psychological well-being (consumers) (Politowicz, 2009; Sung, 2017; Sung,
Cooper and Kettley, 2014; Teli, Valia, Maurya, & Shitole, 2014)

Understanding household upcycling behaviour in the UK
Semi-
structured
interview
(n=23)
Online
survey
(n=122)
Semi-
Delphi
(n=25)
Source: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31125/

Understanding upcycling-based SMEs in the UK
 Upcycling as design and manufacturing/fabrication practice
 Focusing on used timber and textiles (e.g. furniture and clothing)
 Stakeholder (practitioners + consumers) perspectives on challenges
and success factors for scaling up upcycling-based SMEs in the UK
(interviews; n=29)

Key stakeholders in upcycling businesses in the UK
Material
suppliers
Upcycling
designers &
makers
Retailers
Consumers

Material suppliers’ perspectives: Challenges
 Increasing cost
 Sourcing materials
 Legislation
 Public misunderstanding
 Macro-economic situation
 …

Material suppliers’ perspectives: Success factors
 Awareness raising
 Promotion
 Legal and legislative support
 Financial support
 Pressure on companies
 …

Upcycling designers and makers’ perspectives: Challenges
 Difficulty in sourcing materials
 Limited hands-on skills
 Limitation from the materials
 Finding necessary equipment
 One-off nature  high price
 …
http://seadriftdesign.bigcartel.com/
http://www.urbanupholstery.com/
http://samesister.com/

Upcycling designers and makers’ perspectives: Success factors
 Material provision system
 Online marketing support
 Employees and apprentices
 Business advice
 Financial support
 …
http://seadriftdesign.bigcartel.com/
http://www.urbanupholstery.com/
http://samesister.com/

Retailers’ perspectives: Challenges
 Consumers’ negative perception
 Attracting suitable consumers
 Seasonal demand
 Obtaining quality products
 Location of the shop
 …

Retailers’ perspectives: Success factors
 Reasonable pricing
 Effective online marketing
 Good story/history behind the product
 Celebrity involvement in promotion
 Awareness-raising (e.g. appreciation of
the skills and time for upcycling)
 …

Consumers’ perspectives: Challenges
 Limited availability and access
 Finding good quality products
 Time and effort
 High price
 Suitability (e.g. size of clothing)
 …
Image source: http://www.bbdirect.com/ckfinder/userfiles/images/Consumers.jpg

Consumers’ perspectives: Success factors
 Bespoke products
 Increased availability
 More information
 One stop shop
 Lowered price
 …
Image source: http://www.bbdirect.com/ckfinder/userfiles/images/Consumers.jpg

Any questions?
Further questions
kyungeun.sung@dmu.ac.uk
0116 207 8498https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/93/b0/7193b0002d52dcd6ecb0a78394d85543.png

Workshop

Time Duration Activity Outcome
09:50-10:20 30 mins Individual idea generation Min. 10 ideas
10:20-10:30 10 mins Break
10:30-11:00 30 mins Group idea share and system design System map
11:00-11:30 30 mins individual idea development Min. 3 concepts
11:30-12:00 30 mins Group presentation preparation Ppt presentation
12:00-12:30 30 mins Lunch break
12:30-13:15 45 mins Group presentation 5-min presentation
13:15-13:45 30 mins Feedback
Workshop schedule

1. Individual idea generation (30 mins)
 Four client briefs
 Material suppliers / upcycling
designers and makers / retailers
/ consumers
 Client profile
 Problem descriptions
 Goal

1. Individual idea generation (30 mins)
10 minutes
20 minutes
 Read the given brief thoroughly and carefully
 Create a mind-map for your comprehension
 Generate a minimum of 10 ideas (rough sketches and
annotations) in A3
 Number each idea
http://www.thrive4kids.ca/mindmap-example2-large.png
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
NLNvykqT3i8/TcMHGl6rNlI/AAAAAAAAAOk/rU_IsS_iUZ4/s1600/mind%2Bmap.JPG

Break (10 mins)
Image source: http://www.botswanayouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/break.jpg

2. Group idea share and system design (30 mins)
 System map: supports the
visualisation of stakeholders of
PSS, and facilitates material,
information, and financial flow
among them. Visualises the
importance of flow. Highlights
which stakeholders are involved
and how they interact to
support a specific action of a
stakeholder. (van Halen et al., 2005)
Source: Van Halen, C., Vezzoli, C. and Wimmer, R., 2005. Methodology for product service system innovation: how to develop clean, clever and
competitive strategies in companies. Uitgeverij Van Gorcum.
Source: http://www.xinli-lin.com/gg-co-learning/

Source: http://www.servicedesigntools.org/tools/28

10 minutes
20 minutes
 Explain your brief using the original brief and your mind-map
within the group
 Share your 10 (Min) ideas to achieve the goal
 Select the top 3 (up to 5) ideas per person based on
discussion / voting / etc. as a team
 Create a system map to visualise all stakeholders (material
suppliers, upcycling designers and makers, retailers,
consumers, and more if applicable) and all selected ideas
 Make sure your system map shows interrelationships,
connections and flows between stakeholders, infrastructure,
products, services, activities, information, etc.

3. Individual idea/concept development (30 mins)
10 minutes
20 minutes
 Create 3 (Min) variations of each selected idea to explore the
potential of ideas
 Develop the selected ideas into 3 (Min) concepts
 Number each idea and concept
 Put one concept per A3 (or PPT slide if you are using CAD)

4. Group presentation preparation (30 mins)
10 minutes
20 minutes
 Scan/photograph selected ideas, system map and concepts
 Update or upgrade the system map if applicable
 Make PowerPoint presentation for 5 minutes, including:
1. All mind-maps and selected idea sketches
2. Initial system map
3. All developed concepts
4. Final system map
5. What you’ve learned today
 Ensure that all team members present
 Email the file (ppt or pdf) to J.Yoon2@liverpool.ac.uk and
Kyungeun.sung@dmu.ac.uk

Lunch break (30 mins)
Image source: https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Lunch-Break1.jpg

5. Group presentation (5 mins per group)
As a presenter:
 Aim for 4’30”
 When you see this sign, prepare to finish: it means you have
one minute left
As an audience:
 Pay attention to other presentations
 Give a big applause after each presentation
Image source: http://www.aussieelectricalandplumbing.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/one-finger.png

6. Feedback plenary session (30 mins)
 Feedback questionnaire
https://docs.google.com/forms
/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrhirQNGb5z3X
eTxBfRI03Tu5dDK6ned4--
Xy9kapPrrKgKQ/viewform?c=0
&w=1

6. Feedback plenary session (30 mins)
 Whole group discussion:
1. What did you like about today’s workshop?
2. What did you not like about today’s workshop?
3. If you could organise another workshop in the future, what would
you do differently to improve the workshop?

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