Partners

GREENLAB at weißensee kunsthochschule berlin | Professor of Textile and Surface Design

“Not for the first time since the Potsdamer Manifest, it is clear that we have to take a fundamentally different approach to business if we are to create conditions that are liveable for all. Included here are economic, ecological and social aspects, among others.
Design as we understand it constitutes the beginning of a new development process and can thus have a decisive influence on the sustainability of the developed product. The discipline of design is driven by curiosity and a desire for insight and – as a fundamental outlook – seeks innovative solutions in the creative process. A product can be rethought not only in terms of its materiality but also in its creation, use and disposal. It is this aspect that makes our work so exciting as well as particularly well suited to shaping the process of a sustainably managed society. The Federal Ecodesign Award is an important means of showcasing good examples.” (Statement by the GREENLAB at weißensee kunsthochschule berlin)

sustainable natives | Business consultant, author, lecturer, founder member of the sustainable business consultancy sustainable natives

Around 80% of the environmental effects of products and services are set in place during the design process. The paradigm of higher, faster and further that characterised the second half of the 20th century and is still dominant today has been driven above all by design. This has taken place alongside its corollaries of resource overuse, ecological destruction, loss of biodiversity and climate change, which have all been known to us for decades. Today, the field of design must also shoulder responsibility and help give shape to the new and urgently needed paradigm of less, slower, better and more beautiful. Here, I take a broader view that takes in communication and product design, all the way to transformation design (Welzer). Design can only be sustainable when the field as a whole succeeds in changing the perspective from inside-out (How can I design a profitable product?) to outside-in (How can I adequately respond to the challenges of the 21 century?). I am very pleased to be on the Advisory Board of the German Federal Ecodesign Award, which plays a vital and leading role and sets an outstanding example for others to follow.

Allianz Deutscher Designer (AGD) | 1st Chairman

“As designers, we not only take responsibility for our actions, but our work also gives us the opportunity to act in a manner that is socially relevant, and in this way to help shape the future. That is why it is so important for designers to consider their work, creations and results from a sustainable, holistic perspective. To this end, in 2009 the AGD adopted the Sustainable Design Charter and endorses the valuable Germany Federal Ecodesign Award – if not for us, then for our children.”

circular.fashion | Founder, fashion designer and lecturer in sustainable design

Inspired by the cradle-to-cradle principle and the vision of a circular economy, I see the establishment of pure, closed-loop material cycles as the only possibility for a sustainable long-term future. To this end, it is essential that action is taken at the source, namely the design of products and systems that are made for reuse and recycling from the very outset. I am firmly convinced that this is not a mere vision but is the future that we are building together today.

ecosign / Academy of Design | Lecturer in Philosophy and Cultural Sciences

“Design permeates every area of life and, more strongly than ever before, shapes our world and our self-conception. In this way, it transforms nature into artificially grown cultures, and resources into products and services, ultimately eroding our future viability. The impacts of sustainable design are reflected along entire value chains and in people, societies and the biosphere. Sustainable designers know what they are doing –they are fact-based, user-oriented and sustainable. Thereby, the German Federal Ecodesign Award serves as an invaluable platform for this form of responsible design.”

Designworks, a BMW Company Group | Associate Director, Sustainability Design

“Society will have taken a major step forward when children start to paint houses and factories without chimneys. This will demand a general shift in thinking, and it is here where designers can make a major contribution. Initiatives such as the German Federal Ecodesign Award represent an important milestone towards greater ecological consciousness and behaviour. The award will help to further strengthen the awareness of sustainable design among the German public and beyond.

In the future, a central responsibility of design will increasingly be to substantiate the much-abused term of ‘sustainability’ in the various sectors and to become an integral part of development from the outset. A key competence in the development of sustainable and meaningful product- and system innovations is the integration of expertise and cross-sector knowledge. This will enable companies, institutions and end users work together on improvements and above all on new possibilities, whilst creating added value.”

ecosign / Akademie für Gestaltung | Director

“Designers in the 21st century face far more complex tasks than the designers of previous decades: Beyond purely aesthetic and production-related aspects, what counts as a designer is to take responsibility for a sustainable future and to help shape the world in which we want to live. The Federal Ecodesign Award acknowledges where these challenges have been met in contemporary design, and equally emphasises all three pillars of sustainability – ecology, economy and society – in the public perception of good design.”

Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle | Industrial Designer, Professor of Industrial Design, Material- and Technology-Based Product Development at the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle.

“A sustainable future demands a fundamental change in thinking and the pursuit of a multidisciplinary public dialogue. Here, designers have not just a major responsibility but also a great opportunity, as the far-reaching consequences of their work goes beyond the mere choice of materials and technology. Indeed, the entire creation, use and disposal/recycling timeframe is critical. Designers have the opportunity – not least as an interface – to institute many changes and to give decisive shape to the overall context and thus also the transition to a more resource-efficient society.”

Hess Natur | ecosign / Akademie für Gestaltung | Lecturer (communication design), co-founder of Hess Natur, co-initiator of the Charter for Sustainable Design at the AGD

“It is high time for the establishment of a federal award for ecodesign. Designers carry with them a special responsibility – they are shaping the world of tomorrow. The award provides acknowledgement and support and effectively highlights their commitment to the topic of sustainability.”

Hochschule Ulm | Professor of Product Design and Digital Media

“What is needed to achieve concrete and effective steps towards ecological rethinking are broad-based and ongoing information activities that raise awareness in society. The German Federal Ecodesign Award is among those providing the new ideas that will contribute to this desired change. The fact that design is at the foreground confirms once again the importance of our flexible and multidisciplinary profession in this current economic structure, as well as its value for a modern society.”

Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT | Head of Biobased Plastics unit

“The use of innovative and sustainable materials can conserve resources and help relieve the burden on our environment. Again and again, illustrative products and projects are demonstrating that the combination of ecological awareness and sophisticated design need not be a niche area. The German Federal Ecodesign Award is a clear statement for successful resource-saving and modern product developments. At Fraunhofer UMSICHT, sustainable management and environmentally sound processes stand at the centre of research and development activities. For this reason, we are very happy to be a part of the advisory board for the organisation of this future-oriented award.” (Statement by Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT)

designgruppe koop | Owner and director, author and design researcher

“Today, in order to be worthy of the name, design must be sustainable. Although this word has been subject to serious abuse, we have no alternative term that so fully encompasses the aspects of ecology, society and economy. The task of designers is to apply their not meagre resources to the creation of purpose and value – for everybody. Across industry, in the media, in politics and among the greater public, the Federal Ecodesign competition is an excellent means of achieving this with ever-greater awareness and indisputable purpose.”

HMKW University of Applied Sciences for Media | Professor for Graphic Design and Visual Communication

"Simply do it? Do it simply!
In an increasingly complex world, new approaches are needed. This is possible if we look at issues systemically and move out of linear thought patterns. We thereby create situational clarity and thus an optimal environment for an open-ended, innovative solution space. Simple and clear solutions that can answer economic and social questions in equal measure.
This is also what I teach my students: I encourage them to think the impossible and expand their own mindset. Curious and open to try out different strategies and implement them in a playful way. Simply doing it - but doing it simply!"

German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF) | Brand communication, design management and -promotion with a focus on Ecodesign

“Ecodesign is the future. This is because the products that we design today must stand the test of time whilst conserving energy and resources – the smart products that the market is demanding. It is the task of designers and companies to exploit technical innovations for the objective of sustainability, to qualitatively and formally safeguard the longevity of products, and to apply product life cycle concepts in accordance with the cradle-to-cradle principle. Throughout, the forms of use of products must be placed under scrutiny: With Ecodesign, the motto is also ‘using instead of owning’!”

*magdalena schaffrin | Fashiondesigner, author, founder of GREENshowroom and Creative Director of Ethical Fashion Show Berlin

“The German Federal Ecodesign Award is characterised by high quality and a high degree of innovation. We deal with an expanded concept of quality that incorporates environmental and social aspects alongside the classic factors of modern, attractive and consistent design, high quality materials and sound manufacturing. This is about design with added value: Products, services and concepts that leave a positive footprint.”

GREENLAB at weißensee kunsthochschule berlin | Professor of Product Design

GREENLAB at weißensee kunsthochschule berlin | Professor of Fashion Design

Hochschule Luzern – Design & Kunst | Lecturer specialized in Service Design, Head of the Research Group Visual Narrative

“Unfortunately, in many areas design still has the image of a craftsmanship that makes artefacts and surfaces ‘prettier’. However, in the design profession itself a change of consciousness has already taken place. This increasingly shows in the attitude of many design students. They are more and more interested in sustainable materials, resource saving products, processes and ultilisation chains, the involvement of all actors in decision-making processes as well as new narratives aimed at shifting consciousness.”

Media and Network Partners