The Circular Economy Show Podcast How designers can hardwire their skills for a circular economy | Circling Back
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Sep 2, 2025 In this engaging conversation, Joe Iles, Head of Design Activation at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, sheds light on the transformative power of circular design. He explains how it diverges from traditional methods, emphasizing that designers can eliminate waste and pollution right from the drawing board. Joe discusses the challenges of transitioning to a circular economy, the need to blend sustainability with consumer appeal, and the essential skills designers must harness to drive impactful change. A must-listen for anyone passionate about design and sustainability!
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Hoover Found With Its Packaging
- Joe spotted a Henry vacuum and its packaging in a rubbish pile and was struck by the contradiction.
- The packaging claimed the Hoover was "built to last" while both product and box were discarded together.
Design Across Three Levels
- Circular design requires thinking beyond durability to materials, business models, and systems.
- Joe uses the bicycle to show product, service, and city-level design layers that enable circular outcomes.
Circular Ideas Stall In A Linear System
- We design for a circular economy while living in a linear economy, creating incentive friction.
- Designers must balance desirability, viability, and feasibility while adding circular considerations.