SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK

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  • MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

    1. RENEWABLE MATERIALS

    As the Earth’s natural resources continue to diminish, renewable materials have become essential to ecological sustainability. While many organic materials do regenerate, the pace of their renewal varies dramatically. Materials sourced from the biosphere—those that grow on the Earth’s surface, such as bamboo or seagrass—renew far more quickly than those drawn from the lithosphere, like coal. Even within the biosphere, materials like bamboo regenerate significantly faster than materials like wood. To design responsibly, we prioritise materials with higher renewability and substitute exhaustible resources wherever possible.
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  • 2. MINIMALLY TREATED MATERIALS

    We try to reduce the treatments required to prepare raw materials to lower emissions and energy use, strengthening ecological sustainability. Fewer treatments also translate into fewer processes—directly reducing production costs and contributing to economic sustainability.  

    3. RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

    Recyclable materials support ecological sustainability by reducing waste and re-entering the material cycle. Their retained value also contributes to economic sustainability. For efficient recycling, we try and make products from a minimum of materials. When multiple materials are required, we use those with similar end-of-life pathways and life spans. We avoid difficult-to-separate composites, including laminates, fillers, fire-retardant mixes, and fibre-glass reinforcements, and also add-ons like stickers that complicate recycling.
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  • 4. RECYCLED MATERIALS

    Using recycled materials strengthens ecological sustainability by reducing the demand for freshly harvested resources. Wherever feasible, we substitute virgin materials with recycled or reclaimed alternatives.

    5. LOCAL MATERIALS

    We use local materials, which are deeply interlinked with the communities that nurture and use them. They sustain livelihoods, uphold cultural traditions, and strengthen social fabrics. And because the health of the land is inseparable from the well-being of these communities, local sourcing naturally fosters more careful, ecologically responsible stewardship.  
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  • 6. FAIRLY TRADED MATERIALS

    We only use fairly traded materials, where producers receive fair, sustained compensation, fostering stability and dignity in their work. By building direct, trust-based connections between maker and buyer, it mirrors the personal exchanges of craft systems and reinforces social accountability—making it a vital pillar of social sustainability.  

    7. ECOLOGICALLY CERTIFIED MATERIALS

    As far as possible, we use eco-certified materials which carry assurances of sustainability—covering chain of custody, reduced pollutants, renewable energy use, post-consumer recycling, and the use of organic, bio-based, or reclaimed resources. Each of these measures contributes directly to ecological sustainability, ensuring that materials are responsibly sourced, processed, and reintegrated into the environment.
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  • 8. NON-TOXIC MATERIALS

    We try and replace toxic conventional materials with non-toxic alternatives to reduce environmental harm and strengthen ecological sustainability. We don't use materials and additives that are inherently toxic—such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs), lead, cadmium, and mercury. We avoid substances that damage the ozone layer or release harmful emissions during processing—like chlorine, fluorine, bromine, methyl bromide, halons, and CFC-based refrigerants.

    9. LESS/NO MATERIAL FROM INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE

    Intensive agriculture relies on low fallow periods, capital-heavy inputs, and the extensive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers relative to land area. While it boosts production, it also drives environmental degradation—accelerating soil erosion and polluting water systems. We avoid materials derived from intensive agriculture, as their production undermines ecological sustainability. 

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Have a project or idea to discuss? Email us at info@rhizomedesign.co and our team will help bring your design vision to life.

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