The national RE:DESIGN event, held in Brussels on February 18, brought together leading figures from the design and industrial sectors to explore a key topic: how eco-design is shaping the shift toward a circular economy.
Organized by several partners, including Agoria, the event showcased strategies and collaborations aimed at designing more sustainable products.
Throughout the day, an inspiring plenary session set the tone by highlighting the environmental impact of design and the need for a systemic approach to reduce the ecological footprint of products.
As part of the program, Wallonie Design and Flanders DC hosted a themed session titled “Designers, an unexpected part of the solution”. Myriam Carbonnelle, board member at iol Strategic Design, took part alongside Pieter Lesage (Dott Achilles). The session highlighted the vital role of designers in eco-design and the importance of collaboration between designers and businesses.
Key takeaways from RE:DESIGN
The discussions highlighted several essential themes, central to iol Strategic Design, in support of a responsible design approach:
- Considering the entire product lifecycle by adopting a holistic and systemic perspective.
- Encouraging collaboration between designers, businesses, and other stakeholders to develop innovative solutions.
- Understanding users’ habits and needs to design appropriate and sustainable products.
- Relying on standards and certifications to ensure product quality, market access, and effectiveness.
- Embracing imperfection and progressing through iterations, as sustainability often involves pragmatic compromises.
One of the key messages from the day was that with 80% of a product’s environmental impact determined at the design stage, designers play a crucial role in rethinking models and supporting a sustainable transition.
iol Strategic Design’s participation in this event is part of this momentum: by sharing its expertise and emphasizing the importance of collaboration, the agency actively contributes to the ongoing dialogue and evolution of sustainable design practices.