Cradle-to-Cradle
What is it?
Cradle-to-cradle (C2C) is a methodology for materials, products, and systems in which all resources are used circularly and may not be wasted.
Moreover, C2C is a product standard audited by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
Which problem does it solve?
C2C gives guidance about the design and material composition of products.
Who should be involved?
A product development process based on the C2C methodology requires the same stakeholders a normal product development process needs: product management, procurement, operations, supply chain, finance, certainly marketing/sales.
How does it work?
C2C is based on three principles:
Everything is a resource for something else. There is no waste, only “food” for other products.
Use clean and renewable energy.
Celebrate diversity. Locale environments are unique, so we need a diverse set of solutions to fit the diversity of the world.
What to be cautious about?
C2C stands for two things:
The methodology of product design which is open
The Product Standard which is granted by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
Where to find more about it?
The C2C movement startet in 2002, when architect William McDonough and chemicist Michael Braungart published the book “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way we Make Things”
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization that oversees the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program and promotes the cradle-to-cradle design philosophy. It publishes the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard.
The Cradle to Cradle NGO provides a wide set of publications on the application of Cradle to Cradle.
Who contributed to its creation & development?
The creative process is mostly a collective cultural process of creation, inspiration, copy & remix. Therefore, the following entries shall be understood as markers of significant milestones of this concept, not as an exclusive and exhaustive list of all people involved.
The cradle-to-cradle philosophy was co-created and pioneered by Michael Braungart and William McDonough in the 1990s through their work at Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA).
Biological cycles and material flow in nature served as inspiration and role model.