ReGen workpiece
iCandy
Project overview
Despite there having been much written and talked about sustainable design approaches, there’s still plenty that can be done, particularly in terms of applying truly circular design principles within the context of real-world commercial business practice.
While the challenges are considerable, progress and development of expertise comes with practice and application. With this in mind we approached iCandy, a leading British designer pushchair manufacturer, to discuss a concept that embraced circular design principles and did not compromise on quality, functionality or marketability. The company has a long history of design leadership, and their team were excited to collaborate with us on a project that aligned with their target of creating increasingly sustainable solutions.
The challenges in this space are all too real. An estimated one million pushchairs and strollers are sold in the UK each year, 95% of which are likely to end up in landfill within three years.
Process
We set out with the aim of making the design 100% recyclable and deliberated a range of material choices to make this possible. One of the key early decisions was the use of a single textile for the design’s fabric components: a hard wearing, machine washable PET made of 99% recycled materials.
In spite of this, it became clear that making a 100% recyclable product wasn’t feasible. We recognised that in some cases it would be better to choose a material that has a bigger initial environmental impact than another because if this material is more durable it can be used for longer and by more owners. This aligns with our belief across our sustainable projects at PDR that a smaller but feasible improvement in sustainability is better than setting an unattainable goal. We turned our focus to improving the lifespan of the pushchair’s core chassis, arriving at a design made from aluminium and a glass reinforced mass balanced bio-polymer. It can last a minimum of 5 ownership cycles, therefore reducing the chance of it ending up in landfill.
To ensure that the pushchair was used for this long we had to guarantee that different generations of owner beyond the original purchaser would want to use it. We identified cosmetic damage from previous user cycles as an off-putting element for new owners and a cause of premature disposal. We created covers to be applied over parts of the frame to hide potential damage. Crucially, these covers could be accessed from the iCandy website in a range of styles and colours as part of refurbishment packs. We also enabled other components such as the fabric and wheels to be replaceable. By giving new users the ability to update their pushchair to their own taste, we are drastically improving the chances of them making best use of the pushchairs being passed down to them.
Finally, after learning the number of pushchairs that end up in landfill, an emphasis was placed on easy disassembly and component recycling of the product. We found that in existing pushchair models, recyclable components were inseparable from non-recyclable parts meaning they were often unnecessarily disposed of as waste. For the ReGen we ensured that the build could be easily taken apart and its individual components could be disposed of. To further improve the likeliness of this occurring, customers would be able to return their product to iCandy, who could complete this process for them.
Client testimonial
Paul Walker, Director of Product and Design at iCandy stated: "At iCandy, we believe that parenthood and sustainability can go hand in hand, and collaborating with PDR on a project that so perfectly reflects our passion to elevate the journey of parenthood through innovation, style and the highest standards of quality, has been extremely exciting. The superb creativity displayed by the PDR team in developing ReGen blends cutting-edge design with environmentally responsible practices, addressing the ever-evolving need for sustainable solutions in the nursery industry, and has resulted in an incredibly well deserved prestigious iF Award. We could not be prouder to have been involved in this ground-breaking project.”
Learn about our iF award for ReGen.
Since this statement the ReGen has also won a Green Good Design award.
