Behind the product: Green Careers Week
From waste to wonderful, rethinking materials for a sustainable future
What if the materials we throw away could become the products of tomorrow? From discarded denim and plastic to unwanted wool and festival tents, designers, makers and young innovators are finding creative ways to transform waste into something new.
For Green Careers Week, this special edition of ‘Behind the product’ revisits some of the inspiring projects previously featured by the Design & Technology Association, exploring how material innovation and sustainable thinking are shaping the future of design.
Seeing potential in the overlooked
Bringing sustainable innovation into the classroom
These examples demonstrate how design and technology can contribute to a more sustainable future, while highlighting opportunities in materials science, product design, textiles and sustainable manufacturing.
Teachers can explore these ideas further through the D&TA's Inspired by Industry context with Fussy, which challenges students to rethink single-use plastic in everyday bathroom products, connecting real-world industry challenges with product analysis, materials, CAD, prototyping and manufacture.
Join the Design & Technology Association to access these additional resources and strengthen teaching and learning across the unit.