Designs for a Cooler Planet

From waste comes something better

Works by Aaltonians show how good the circular economy can look and feel.
Multicoloured layered foam block with matching fluffy chunks scattered on a light surface
Photo: Esa Kapila

The material footprint of an EU citizen — the amount of raw materials sourced from nature that they consume — averages 14.8 tonnes per year. This figure is clearly above the global average and unsustainable in terms of the planet’s carrying capacity. 

The circular economy is an effective way to reduce this footprint, yet only a little over one tenth of the materials used come from recycled sources. The EU’s goal is to double this share by 2030. 

Materials destined for waste can, in the right hands, be given an entirely new purpose: seaweed becomes eyeglass frames, agricultural waste becomes textile dyes, and old textiles become insulation material. 

‘In a circular economy, waste is a valuable raw material, and longevity is valuable. That is why we must design and produce high-quality goods,’ summarizes Professor of Design Kirsi Niinimäki

Take part in the events on 15 and 22 September

YUIMA NAKAZATO, GLACIER, March 2025, photographed in Hailuoto.

Tomorrow's wardrobe & fashion futuring

We need a fashion futuring approach and a new mindset—how we design and manufacture, and how we understand fashion—and this seminar aims to offer that.

Events
Brown plant twigs between fabric swatches and two test tubes with yellow and red liquids on white table

Biobased materials in industry

This webinar introduces current developments and possibilities in the use of bio-based materials in industry, with a focus on textiles as well as other application areas.

Events
Text ‘Designs for a cooler planet’ on a bright light blue circle with green glow on a dark background

Designs for a Cooler Planet

Discover tomorrow at Aalto University's biggest exhibition! Open 1 September – 30 October 2026.

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