Better Things

How often have you seen a label on a product proclaiming it to be made from
'recycled material', 'bioplastic' or similar, without it giving any details of
the concrete environmental benefits? What do these terms really mean? A drive
for greater transparency and demonstrable environmental benefits is happening
in product design, through emerging legislation and standards, and consumer
demand for more sustainable products and unambiguous marketing.

In Better Things: Materials for Sustainable Product Design, Daniel Liden seeks
to tackle the lazy 'greenwashing' terminology we see every day, providing a
guide for product designers, manufacturers and consumers wishing to make
better and more informed decisions about materials. The book comprises six
chapters devoted to material categories - plastics, textiles, metals, ceramics
and glass, wood and paper - and a seventh chapter covering emerging
sustainable technologies. Each chapter includes interviews with industry
experts, as well as photos, diagrams, environmental impact data, general
material properties and more.