Erica Pontes
Published 7 hours ago. It can be read in about 8 minutes.
Image: just salad
Brand provided
To unleash the power of circular design at scale, brands need to understand cultural conditions. Here are his five design principles we've learned from working with brands leading the way.
you may know circular economy By some of its common names— thrift,
upcycle,
swapping,
recycling,
Second-hand goods,
rental,
resale,
Reuse,
repair
or composting. A circular economy is at work whenever goods or materials are resold or reused rather than being discarded. A circular economy, designed to resemble natural systems without such things as waste, is nothing new (no kidding). Reusing products has been a common social and cultural practice since ancient times.
However, recent innovations in circular business models and brand design have attracted new participants, making it one of the most exciting and lucrative opportunities in retail today.
A powerful combination of consumer demand for affordability, sustainability, and unique style has made used goods a $197 billion industry, with more brands vying to access it.beyond
clothescircular models are also growing around the world
electronics,
sporting goods, consumer packagingand
retail
All kinds of things.
But innovation in circularity is about more than just designing new reuse systems. For these systems to succeed and move people toward circular behavior, we also need to tell new stories that free us from a place of obligation and burden.Please save the earth! Stop wasting bags!) One of simplicity, joy and desire. When playback systems and stories come together, brands can differentiate themselves, break through categories, and blaze new trails.
Design movements with circularity in mind
As a leader at BBMG, Just Salad, REI, and Target, we explore how leading brands are innovating and expanding circular models to win new fans and earn customer loyalty while eliminating waste. . Join us for Brand-Led Culture Change on Thursday, May 9th.
To unleash the power of circular design at scale, brands need to understand cultural conditions. Here are his five design principles we've learned from working with brands leading the way.
Five principles for designing circular motion
1. Designing human truth
Image provided by: BBMG
Circularity will only succeed if we can make people want the systems we design. This is especially true if, as in many cases, the consumer is essentially part of the circle. Take-back and resale program
— or when we are asking people to change well-worn behaviors, such as using disposable products for everyday use at home.
in cooperation the goal To create a reduced waste collection, T.target zero, we consistently hear from guests that single-use packaging and waste are points of ambiguity and anxiety. When they regularly throw plastic containers and rarely used items in the trash, they are robbed of the joy they derive from the products they love and need every day. By honoring this dynamic tension, Target creates and curates products and packaging solutions that are designed to be refillable, reusable, compostable, and even eliminate packaging altogether. was featured on in-store end caps and on select platforms on Target.com.
Lesson: Start by sensing and responding to deeply felt human needs.
2. Design with access in mind
Image provided by: BBMG
To maximize the usefulness of circular products and services, it helps to design for people at both ends of the behavioral spectrum. In the social field, this is sometimes referred to as “.”Curb cut effect” Because sidewalks are often designed with accessibility in mind. Curbs cut to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to cross intersections are also convenient for many other people, including parents pushing strollers, seniors with walkers, and delivery workers rolling trolleys. Features designed to provide access to specific users will ultimately benefit everyone in the community.
By partnering with resale platforms re-educateour shopper research
If barriers to participation can be removed, even those who have not yet participated in resale feel that there are many benefits to participating, such as saving money, reducing waste, and acquiring unique items. revealed.
Similar to Curb Cut Effect, Recurate designs for all brands and consumers in the circular economy. With accessible, technology-enabled resale services, brands can seamlessly integrate resale into e-commerce by turning consumers' closets into inventory. No collection program or warehouse required. And for shoppers, Recurate maximizes trust and loyalty by placing resale items from their favorite brands alongside new apparel and gear.
By empowering everyone to buy second-hand in one brand-led shopping experience, Recurate brings more people into the circular economy and helps brands improve shopping baskets, repeat purchases, brand loyalty, and the planet. We help them reap the benefits of having a positive impact on their business. .
Bottom line: Resolve both ends of the behavioral spectrum to unlock exponential benefits.
3. Designed for ease of use
Image credits: Consortium reinventing retail bags
Making great second-hand products available is one challenge, but making it easy to introduce new circular behaviors is another, especially when wasteful versions are deeply ingrained in our daily lives. .
For decades, we have been trained to expect single-use packaging at the point of sale. Coffee cups, plastic bags and takeout containers. convenience? yes. Sustainable? no way. Slowly as a culture we are forgetting this wasteful routine, but by the time we all carry our own containers everywhere, as disposable options are still the easiest and default option. There's a long way to go.
A great way to get people to adopt new behaviors is to layer them with existing behaviors. That means simply incorporating it into your established routine. This was the behavioral logic that inspired our recent creative collaboration.
closed loop partner Just like you take your phone, keys, and wallet with you when you leave the house, you should automatically take your shopping bag with you.
Closed Loop Partners:Beyond the bag” initiative – a partnership involving national retailers including Target CVS and
walmart are collaborating to design plastic bag waste out of the shopping experience through a series of experiments to move consumers toward reusable bags.recent beta test denver and tucson – Supported by BBMG
— An estimated 3 million single-use plastic bags were eliminated, and 76% of customers reported bringing their own bags more often after the campaign. Gentle nudges with minimal lift, built right into people's well-worn routines, were the key to success.
Lesson: Let's build on existing behaviors and norms to make circularity the easy choice.
4. Design for reciprocity
Image provided by: BBMG
Another way to keep consumers in the loop is to reward them for their participation. Target is encouraging guests to return their old car seats for recycling by offering credits towards new baby products in-store. Starbucks We offer discounts when you bring your own mug, and recently extended discounts to mobile and drive-thru orders. The idea of mutual benefit is simple and works.
our clients, just saladthe first quick-service restaurant chain. Add a carbon label to your menualso the world's largest and longest-running service. Restaurant reusable bowl program. When customers purchase a reusable bowl, they earn free toppings (like avocado) each time they reuse it. This program reduces single-use packaging waste by approximately 25,000 pounds annually. After just two uses, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and water usage compared to disposable bowls. Today, the chain has grown to more than 80 locations and ranks among the top five restaurant chains in terms of sales growth.
Lesson: Align rewards and relationships to instill new habits together.
5. Design for fun
Image provided by: BBMG
We may be proud to shout about the environmental friendliness of circular innovation, but there may be something more inherently fun, exciting, or dare I say it. sexy — Encourage people to participate. And when it comes to marketing, that should be the headline.
A recent source of inspiration for our team was writing the following article: adrienne marie brown In particular, “pleasure movement” She argues that efforts to right society's wrongs can and should be a source of joy and enjoyment—a way for us to feel complete, happy, and fulfilled. Why not adopt the same approach to move people towards sustainable behavior?
When BBMG was working with the north face Brand and launch a refurbished product line — The North Face has been renewed — Our aha moment was when we learned that our target audience of young outdoor apparel buyers is more motivated by style, performance, and access to adventure than just sustainability. (Although that's important) Our brand story for launching the collection was therefore to celebrate the 'resurrection of the fittest' and 'clothes remade to explore more.' An added benefit is that this is also an interesting way to significantly reduce the environmental impact of the apparel we buy.
Lesson: Make it what you want to do, not what you have to do.
Most of us want to do what's right for the planet, but deep-seated habits and the immediacy of convenience can get in the way of making circularity the obvious choice. Designing for deep human needs and optimizing access, ease of use, reciprocity, and joy for a regenerative future of retail that is loved, category disrupted, and recommerce driven. Create more products, services, and experiences that change behavior. On and on.
To learn more about this topic, check out our interviews with two circular visionary closed loop partners. kate daly and an entrepreneur John Acheson — on the BBMG podcast, “The future we want: Accelerating the circular economy”