As society grapples with a series of existential challenges and the window to prevent irreversible environmental damage grows smaller, a generation of future-facing businesses, designers and organisations are adopting considered, long-term, sustainable and circular approaches to design. Welcome to the era of conscious design.

The rise of conscious design stems from a pressing need to ensure that future products across categories are ethical, sustainable and regenerative. For Xu Gang, co-founder of Bentu Design, this represents a challenge of planetary proportions. ‘Society faces the dual threats of resource scarcity and environmental degradation,’ he says. ‘The burden on our planet has increased dramatically. Creating sustainable concepts and using sustainable materials is now a universal issue closely bound up with the survival and development of humanity as we know it.’

With global demand for new textile fibres forecast to increase by 150% by 2050, according to Axfoundation, a new material world is required before this future can be fully realised. At present, many materials in use consist of virgin or fossil- based synthetic fibres, requiring water- or chemical-intensive processes, or are derived from sources that may not prioritise animal welfare.

It is now integral that brands harness the opportunities on offer and ensure that their products are designed to deliver planetary safety as well as personal safety.

‘Global demand for new textile fibres is forecast to increase by 150% by 2050.’
:  Axfoundation

The rise of conscious design is being driven by a series of influential social, cultural and technological shifts that are transforming consumer demands, expectations and outlooks.

Some of these consumer drivers include:

: Whole-System Thinking
Once focused specifically on environmental factors, consumers are rapidly developing a more holistic understanding of sustainability and ethics.

: Trust Fatigue
After a year of unprecedented turbulence, we’re now experiencing an epidemic of widespread mistrust of institutions around the world.

: Nature Renaissance
After months of lockdowns across the globe, the pandemic has led to a renaissance of love for wildlife and nature among consumers, and a deeper appreciation of its power.

: Luxtainability Rising
A focus on sustainability, regeneration and circularity is driving new directions in luxury and welcoming an era of ‘luxtainability’.

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‘If countries and businesses prioritise nature-positive solutions, they could generate £7.1 trillion(€8.2 trillion) in annual business opportunities and create 395m jobs bythe end of 2030.’

‘The future is about creating better, more respectful ways in which to use what nature has given us, embedding natural materials as part of eco-systems across different industries and lettingtheir properties shine through.’