Sustainable Design Thinking

Today, the topic of sustainability creeps up everywhere; in the homes of the eco-conscious, in the lives of those who do not feel the need for more sustainable living, in government plans, as well as in small time designs or those of a large industry. The bottom line is, whether our planet is in a crisis or not, sustainability has been brought to the global attention, and it is an important tool for the future.

Sustainability is explored even in fashion design; this picture shows a dress made out of corn husks (in 24 hours no less) by Austin Scarlett. Scarlett's dress is a part of a Project Runway challenge in which each designer was asked to create a dress from materials found at a grocery store. Each season of Project Runway, in fact, asks its designers to work with unusual materials, from recycling to plant life to candy. Though nobody will be making and mass producing clothing made from edibles any time soon, it is the presence of these innovative sources which leads the way for this reality show towards sustainability in fashion. In fact, many designers have now made a point to work with more available and less harmful materials. For example, bamboo clothing has become more popular, and designers who utilize recycled materials are able to bring a new vision to their work.

Whether in fashion or in government, sustainability is a big discussion. Why is it that something as small as a corn-husk dress can be compared to the drama of the oil fields and the encouragement of wind or water-fueled power around the globe? Everything on our Earth plays into everything else around it, connecting us all. It is this connection which (whether global warming exists or not) asks us all to work cooperatively to keep the planet livable. Without the beauty of nature and its resources, our lives cannot function as we are used to, this is why design can have such a huge impact on sustainability. Design has the ability to bring the issues to the front, to get the word out around the globe, then it is time for government and society to step in and take it further with global sustainable thinking.