The future is round: Circular design as a pioneer for sustainable innovations and a better future

Some of you will have heard the terms circular design or circular economy before. But what do they mean and why are they so important, especially in the creative industry?

Circular design incorporates the principles of reuse and social interaction in all product life cycles. Not only ecologically, but also socially sustainable and participatory design strategies are important. Production processes are designed in such a way that social values are taken into account, further training opportunities are created and social exchange is made possible. In short: design that defines our future in a sustainable way.

Born in Vorarlberg, Christian Kroepfl is a prime example of a versatile architect and designer with a special focus on efficiently produced sustainable products with high-quality design. Cost optimization, functionality, quality and the use of natural and sustainable materials define his way of working and are indispensable to him. 

Small steps with a big impact

Circular design offers the creative industries the opportunity to work more cost- and resource-efficiently and reduce waste. A positive impact on the environment, cost savings and the sustainability of products are just a few of the benefits made possible by this process. You can perhaps better imagine this using the example of fashion and fast fashion:

While large fashion chains shoot out new collections every week, which, as you know, end up in extremely high mountains of textile waste, Circular Design focuses on upcycling textile waste into new garments. The advantage: this approach not only reduces the amount of waste, but also leads to rethought, innovative designs.

However, circular design also requires a change in mindset and the design process. It is less about the dominance of expert knowledge and more about collaboration between experts. It is also not about following fixed rules, but about making the design process dynamic. While humans often dominate nature in standardized global mass production, circular design is about local, personalized production in a cooperation between humans and nature. Away from the idea of disposability and towards repair.

Our Creative of the Month lives this principle. Christian Kroepfl is not only concerned with product design and the manufacturing process, but also with user behavior and our relationship with nature in the future. He also wants to bring this closer to other designers. He is currently working on an exhibit on the topic of "Circular Design" for the "Design:District" trade fair at the Hofburg in Vienna in October 2024 to explain and present the impact and approach of circular design to visitors on site.

See and feel circular design

From October 4-6, the Vienna Hofburg will be the meeting place for all lovers of high-quality home design and lifestyle. A highlight of this year's Design:District is Christian's curated exhibition focusing on "Sustainable Design" in the Trabantenstube and the Maria Theresa Apartments of the Hofburg in Vienna. The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to discover new products, innovations and pioneering concepts in the field of sustainable design and provides insights into different approaches, sustainable materials, upcycling concepts and much more. Visitors can also get to know the work of sustainable design start-ups and the Vienna University of Technology and learn about the diversity of sustainable design.

It continues in March 2025 at the "Wohnen & Interieur" trade fair in Vienna. Sustainable Design, also organized by Christian, deals with sustainability in design from Austria. Austrian architects, designers, companies, start-ups, businesses and universities will present their exhibits, which take the entire life cycle of the object into account as early as the product development stage. The aim is to highlight the quality and expertise of Austrian designers, producers and design schools in the areas of sustainable design and the circular economy.