Andreu World's Circular Design Challenge hopes to manufacture a better world

A call to action for the design industry at large, Andreu World considers the positive impact of circular design with the 23^rd edition of their design competition, specifically the Circular Design Challenge. At this year’s Milan Design Week, the furniture company hoped to underscore the urgency of rethinking how we design through their showcase and the announcement of their annual design competition’s theme. The showroom at Milan Design Week promises to be a celebration of sustainability, creativity, and innovation. With new collections by Patricia Urquiola and Benjamin Hubert, as well as the launch of the Circular Design Challenge, attendees can expect to be inspired and motivated to join the movement towards a more sustainable design future.

Within the roster of events, the Spanish furniture brand hosted a round table titled “Circular Design and Positive Impact: What do companies do for people and the planet?” which also helped launch the Circular Design® Challenge, an earnest plea to the design industry to consider ecologically friendly practices, to collaborate with other designers, suppliers and stakeholders to reduce their material footprint. In an age where urgent action is required, the challenge by the company asks for collective action towards a new vision for the industry, “where beautiful design coexists harmoniously with the natural world.”

The competition calls product designers from around the world to submit proposals for furniture designs that prioritise circularity and sustainability, while still focusing on creative and innovative material and form. It aims to embrace cleaner and more sustainable practices such as zero waste management, working towards a carbon neutral footprint, selection of sustainable materials, and adherence to certifications such as B Corp, Level 3, Cradle to Cradle and Greenhealth Approved. One of the only B-Corp-certified design brands in Europe; Andreu World hopes this call will inspire participants to orient design not only towards the environment but also towards peoples’ well-being and health. They believe that an industry-wide revolution is necessary for the way we design, manufacture and distribute products globally. A real change will only be possible if there is a common attitude, which also includes joining interests and sharing openly, in order to progress together.

Participants will be encouraged to think beyond traditional linear models of production and consumption, instead focusing on recycling, regeneration and reuse, in essence rethinking the use of materials. The challenge and the particular focus on sustainability underscore Andreu World’s own design principles that prioritise environmentally responsible production. The competition presents a challenge to the industry to Manufacture a Better World. The winner, who will receive 20,000 Euros will be selected from a panel of judges which includes designers such as Rosanna Orlandi and Yves Behar. This is part of the furniture brand’s initiative that aims to support emerging talent, with the collaboration of the World Design Organisation (WDO).