What Is a Sustainable Product?
A sustainable product is designed and manufactured in a way that minimises negative environmental, social and economic impacts throughout its life cycle. This includes:
- Using recycled or renewable materials
- Designing for longevity, repairability and recyclability
- Reducing carbon emissions and resource consumption
- Ensuring ethical labour and supply chain practices
- Minimising harmful chemicals and waste
Until now, sustainable design has focused primarily on reducing the environmental impact of products. However, the future of ecodesign and sustainability regulations will increasingly bring the environmental and social dimensions together, making them inseparable parts of sustainable product strategies.
The definition of sustainable products often intersects with product compliance, life cycle thinking and transparent reporting. Today, companies are expected to demonstrate product sustainability not only in marketing, but also through third-party verified data.
What Is Sustainable Design?
Sustainable design (or design for sustainability) refers to the practice of integrating environmental and social considerations into product development from the earliest stages.
According to ISO 14006 (Design for Environment), sustainable design involves:
- Considering the entire life cycle of a product (from raw materials to end-of-life)
- Minimising energy and resource use
- Maximising durability and adaptability
- Avoiding environmental trade-offs (e.g., swapping plastic for metal without assessing impact)
Sustainable by design means these factors are intentionally built into the product – not added later as retroactive improvements. For your product design team, this approach means:
- Meeting regulatory standards like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
- Aligning with green public procurement (GPP) criteria
- Achieving eco-labels and certifications
Other terms you may encounter include:
- Sustainability in product design
- Sustainable industrial design
- Sustainable design products
- Product design for sustainability
All describe approaches where your company evaluates and optimises environmental and social impact across the value chain.
Regulations for Sustainable Products
Legislation is increasingly pushing companies to prove the sustainability of their products. Key regulations include:
- Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR): EU regulation aimed at improving the circularity and environmental performance of products
- CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive): Requires detailed disclosures on environmental impact, including product-level emissions
- CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism): Mandates carbon data for products imported into the EU
- Digital Product Passports: Will require product-specific data on origin, materials, emissions, and end-of-life handling
Compliance with these regulations demands structured, accurate and scalable data management across product lines. EandoX is continuously monitoring regulatory changes and upcoming requirements, helping your company stay compliant and avoid costly surprises.
How Software Like EandoX Supports Sustainable Products
EandoX is a software that is purpose-built to help companies assess, optimise and disclose product-level environmental impact. Here’s how it supports sustainability by design:
- LCA-based assessments: Run full life cycle assessments (LCAs) to evaluate environmental impacts like global warming potential, resource use and water footprint.
- Environmental impact reporting: Generate verified Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
- Scenario analysis: Model changes in design, material or suppliers to see how they affect sustainability.
- Supplier data integration: Map emissions and material data across your supply chain.
By combining sustainability data with powerful automation, EandoX enables your design team, sustainability professionals and compliance managers to align product development with climate goals and regulations.
Want to see how it works? Book a demo or explore our EPD and carbon footprint services.
FAQ: Sustainable Products & Software Support
What is a sustainable product?
A sustainable product is designed to reduce environmental, social and economic impact throughout its life cycle.
What does "sustainable by design" mean?
Sustainable by design means sustainability principles are built into the design process from the beginning, not added later.
Is sustainable design the same as eco-design?
They overlap. Eco-design focuses on environmental performance, while sustainable design includes social and economic factors too.
What is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation?
An upcoming EU regulation that expands ecodesign principles to cover more product groups and sustainability criteria.
How can software help with sustainable products?
Software like EandoX enables LCA modelling, carbon footprint reporting, compliance preparation and design scenario analysis – all essential for building sustainable products.
What standards does EandoX follow?
ISO 14067, ISO 14025, EN 15804, ISO 14040/44 and Product Category Rules (PCRs), ensuring compatibility with EPD programs and regulations.
