Cradle to Cradle Methodology
The phrase “Cradle to Cradle” was first coined by Walter R. Stahel in the 1970s as a play on “Cradle to Grave”. Then, years later, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, a book by German chemist Michael Braungart and US architect William McDonough was published in 2002 which really gave the phrase meaning. The book serves as a manifesto for cradle to cradle design. In the book, they introduce the idea of two nutrients, “biological nutrients” and “technical nutrients”. Biological nutrients break down and re-enter the environment, while technical nutrients are non-toxic synthetic materials that remain in “closed-loop industrial cycles”, thus creating a waste-free and sustainable model.
Official C2C certification ensures that products have met the following principles:
- Material Health: Value materials as nutrients for safe, continuous cycling
- Material Reutilization: Maintain continuous flows of biological and technical nutrients
- Renewable Energy: Power all operations with 100% renewable energy
- Water Stewardship: Regard water as a precious resource
- Social Fairness: Celebrate all people and natural systems
