Building Revolutions

13. Virtuous circles

If humans were to devise products, tools, furniture, homes, factories, and cities more intelligently from the start, they wouldn't even need to think in terms of waste, or contamination, or scarcity. Good design would allow for abundance, endless reuse, and pleasure.

William McDonough and Michael Braungart

Innovative design and creative thinking needs the right environment to flourish. Engaging with the supply chain at the back end of the design process, once all the main decisions have been made, sounds wrong. To then beat the suppliers down to the lowest cost through competitive tendering is not going to create a nurturing environment for new ideas.

Engaging and partnering with the supply chain is standard practice in ...