Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Design framework for circular and sustainable packaging design

Researchers developed a novel packaging design framework integrating circularity and sustainability (C&S) criteria using literature review, expert brainstorming, and field visits. The framework addresses conflicts between sustainability and functional requirements and provides practical iterative strategies for packaging designers.

2025 Proceedings of the Design Society
Article Tier 2

Application Research of Waterborne Plastic Waste Recycling Device Based on Green Design Principles

Researchers designed a waterborne plastic waste recycling device guided by green design principles, incorporating environmental recognition, green product, and interactive systems to intercept plastic debris in inland waterways before it reaches the ocean. The device follows the '3R' principle (reduce, reuse, recycle) and integrates modular and environmental awareness design strategies to address inland plastic pollution at its source.

2024 Frontiers in artificial intelligence and applications
Article Tier 2

Method to incorporate green chemistry principles in early-stage product design for sustainability: case studies with personal care products

Researchers developed a method integrating green chemistry principles with ecological risk assessment and life cycle assessment to guide sustainable early-stage product design for down-the-drain consumer products such as personal care items, demonstrating the approach through case studies.

2022 Green Chemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Upcycling Systems Design, Developing a Methodology through Design

This paper proposes a new methodology for upcycling systems design that bridges circular economy business models with sustainable material innovation, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of products by integrating ecological considerations early in the design process.

2022 Sustainability 11 citations
Article Tier 2

The (in)compatibility of the Ecological Modernization Theory and Consumer Society

This review examines the compatibility between ecological modernization theory and consumer society, critically assessing whether economic growth and environmental protection can coexist through technological progress and green industry development. The authors find inherent tensions between the theory's assumptions and the consumption patterns that drive ecological degradation.

2024 Facta Universitatis Series Philosophy Sociology Psychology and History
Article Tier 2

Combining Eco-Design and LCA as Decision-Making Process to Prevent Plastics in Packaging Application

Researchers applied simultaneous eco-design and life cycle assessment (LCA) to help a small food packaging company redesign its frozen food packaging to reduce plastic use and microplastic dispersal into marine environments. The case study demonstrated that integrating circular economy principles and LCA from the design stage enabled more effective material substitution decisions than applying these tools sequentially.

2020 Sustainability 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Resource conservation by means of lightweight design and design for circularity—A concept for decision making in the early phase of product development

This paper developed a decision-making framework to identify synergies and conflicts between lightweight design and design for circularity in product development, helping manufacturers navigate trade-offs in resource conservation.

2023 Resources Conservation and Recycling 24 citations
Article Tier 2

From Menstrual Care to Environmental Care

This study examines the intersection of menstrual care product design and environmental sustainability, exploring how design choices in menstrual products contribute to plastic pollution and microplastic release. The work investigates design alternatives and user perspectives within the context of transitioning from menstrual care toward more environmentally responsible product systems.

2023 interactions 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Recirculation: A New Concept to Drive Innovation in Sustainable Product Design for Bio-Based Products

This paper introduces a 'recirculation' framework for designing bio-based products that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes waste throughout a product's life cycle. While bio-based materials offer a sustainable alternative to petroleum plastics, the authors argue that sustainable design principles must be built in from the start to maximize their environmental benefit.

2016 Molecules 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Design of Polymer Matrix Composite Parts: A Review

This review examines eco-design principles applied to polymer matrix composite parts, covering the environmental impacts of composites across their lifecycle from design and manufacturing through to recycling and end-of-life. The review emphasizes sustainable approaches including waste minimization, recyclability, and the use of bio-based or recycled materials.

2023 Polymers 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Circular Product Practices for a Post-Plastic Transition

This study examines how designers can support a post-plastic transition by identifying circular product practices, combining design theory with practical action frameworks to define the competencies and strategies needed for responsible polymeric material use within circular economy models.

2025 DIID
Article Tier 2

Minimizing the environmental impacts of plastic through eco-design

Researchers developed a sustainability metric for eco-designing plastic products with low environmental persistence by integrating the environmental degradation rate of plastics into established material selection frameworks. The approach allows designers to compare materials on both functional performance and environmental persistence using material property indices.

2023 4 citations
Article Tier 2

System innovation and life cycle thinking in packaging value chain: the circularity of plastics.

This paper examines the role of circular economy principles in reducing plastic packaging waste, noting that despite existing recycling systems, plastics remain pervasive environmental contaminants. The authors argue that redesigning packaging systems for recyclability and reducing over-packaging are essential steps to address microplastic pollution at its source.

2020 AMS Dottorato Institutional Doctoral Theses Repository (University of Bologna) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Leveraging Insights from Unique Artifacts for Creating Sustainable Products

This paper examines how the design principles found in unique historical artifacts can inspire sustainable manufacturing approaches within a circular economy. Designing products for longevity, repairability, and end-of-life recyclability can reduce plastic waste and the microplastics generated from product disposal.

2023 Lecture notes in mechanical engineering
Article Tier 2

Applications of recycled plastics and life cycle assessment

This review covers applications for recycled plastics and evaluates the environmental impact of plastic recycling through life cycle assessment. It highlights the tension between the environmental benefits of recycling and the ongoing problem of plastic waste that escapes recycling into ecosystems as potential microplastics.

2020 White Rose eTheses Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An Examination of Microplastics: Environmental Impact, Sustainability, and Recyclability Innovation

This paper examined the environmental impact of microplastics, sustainability implications of current plastic use, and recycling options to address the plastic pollution crisis. It called for a transition toward circular economy approaches that reduce primary plastic production and increase recycled content.

2024 Journal of Student Research
Review Tier 2

Regenerative Product Design: a Literature Review in an Emerging Field

This literature review examines the emerging field of regenerative product design, exploring how materials and systems can be designed to repair, recreate, or revitalize their own resources at local, regional, and global scales. The authors analyze how regenerative principles differ from sustainability and circular economy frameworks and what they mean for material selection, user behavior, and product interaction.

2024
Article Tier 2

Reconciling Waste Management and Ecological Economics

Researchers examined how the concept of the "circular economy" — designing products and systems to minimize waste — fits within ecological economics, which emphasizes physical limits like energy and material flows. The chapter argues that effective waste management policies, such as landfill taxes, extended producer responsibility, and deposit-refund schemes, must align environmental costs with economic incentives to achieve meaningful sustainability gains.

2023 Studies in ecological economics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Use of Qualitative Tools for Evaluating the Implementation of Green Design in Industries

This review evaluates qualitative tools used to assess how well industries have implemented green design and supply chain management practices. While not directly about microplastics, better green design in manufacturing can reduce plastic waste at the source and lower environmental contamination.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Research on the Whole Life Cycle of a Furniture Design and Development System Based on Sustainable Design Theory

Researchers applied the AHP-QFD-AD method to develop a sustainable furniture design evaluation framework, integrating life cycle thinking, market research, and user needs analysis. The approach aims to extend furniture product lifespans and reduce environmental impacts throughout the design, manufacturing, and end-of-life stages.

2023 Sustainability 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Strategies for efficient management of microplastics to achieve life cycle assessment and circular economy

This review examines strategies for managing microplastic waste through a circular economy and life cycle assessment (LCA) lens, arguing that current recycling practices and waste disposal methods are inadequate given the sheer volume of plastics entering ecosystems. The authors propose a conceptual framework integrating LCA principles into microplastic management to better quantify ecological risks and guide more sustainable plastic use policies.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Analyzing the Application and Ecological Value of Green Roofs in Urban Environmental Art Design

This study analyzes the ecological and aesthetic functions of green roofs in urban environmental art design, examining their roles in pollutant adsorption, urban heat island mitigation, and rooftop agriculture, and discussing cost and technical barriers to wider adoption.

2025 MATEC Web of Conferences
Article Tier 2

A Plan to Secure Environmental Sustainability Through Digital Transformation of the Fashion Industry: Focusing on Fashion Design and Smartization of the Manufacturing Process

This study examines how digital transformation and smart manufacturing technologies in the fashion industry can reduce environmental pollution, proposing a framework for integrating digital design tools and process optimization to improve sustainability across the fashion clothing supply chain.

2022 Academic Society for Appropriate Technology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders

This review evaluates recent European Union circular economy policies and their implications for businesses seeking to reduce environmental impact through sustainable production and supply chain practices. It identifies both opportunities and challenges for companies attempting to implement circular economy principles in compliance with new EU environmental directives.

2020 Sustainable Development 210 citations