Abstract

The term Design Thinking has been very popular in recent years in relation to business strategy, but what’s next? Designing for the Circular Economy is a technique thought to be worth around a trillion dollars. Advocates believe this concept will be the new driving force of innovation and has the power to reshape our lives as both companies and consumers. It's very different from the traditional linear methods and requires a strategic approach way beyond traditional sustainability. Many people believe that innovation is a light bulb moment but this is not always the case. Many businesses pursue a gradual, incremental approach in order to satisfy all stakeholders involved for a sustainable, long term strategy. This case shows one such example through a cumulative innovation between four links in the supply chain. A member of Steelcase's subsidiary, Designtex, looks back on past successes while contemplating current challenges as an industry leader who values sustainability. Sustainability has been a pillar of Steelcase’s strategy and remains a powerful, driving force for innovation. The successful innovation inspired by the circular economy was the result of a collaboration between Steelcase, Designtex, Victor, and Unifi. Project teams were able to develop a sustainable upholstery system known as “Loop to Loop” that led to a manufacturable material innovation and an unprecedented amount of end-of-use programs. The capability of each unique company and individual teams provided the means to innovate the ‘closed-loop' system. But what's next for this evolving organization? How does Steelcase create meaningful and impactful business solutions through sustainability? Is design for the circular economy a competitive advantage for global businesses or the next buzzword in design strategy?

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