The life cycle of products
Ecodesign, the central element of the Circular economy, is the new frontier of design and planning in any field, including textiles. In the future, every new project in the fashion sector will have to keep in mind the complete life cycle of each product. Consumption of the product and the possibility of reusing are elements that determine its life cycle. So, the goal is to be able to lengthen it as much as possible. In which way? By recycling and reusing its components. Or by creating 100% biodegradable products, so that once its use is over, the product can return to the natural cycle.
The meaning of Ecodesign
But what exactly does Ecodesign mean? When we talk about Ecodesign, the concept is to reduce the environmental impact of a product as much as possible: from the moment of its creation and throughout its life cycle. For this reason, the principles of Ecodesign are all stages of the product life cycle.
From the procurement and use of reusable, biodegradable, recyclable and non-toxic raw materials, to their processing and distribution, every activity must comply with the directive of the European Union (Directive 2009/125 / CE). The keywords are energy efficiency (the goal is to reduce energy consumption as much as possible in the production phases) and reduced environmental impact. In this way, we can say yes to design, as long as it guarantees low environmental impact and sustainable development.
LCA methodology, life cycle assessment
To evaluate the life cycle of a product and understand if it is truly sustainable for the environment, there is the Life Cycle Assessment, LCA methodology.
The procedure is internationally standardized according to ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. The goal of using this method is to evaluate the entire production chain and understand if there are any critical issues. Once identified, steps are taken to resolve them by replacing production processes, for example, which will ensure greater energy savings.
In this way, the entire life cycle of a product that involves production, distribution, use, reuse and final disposal can be assessed and changed. This is how Ecodesign was born.
