Design that Doesn’t Cost the Earth

LWC’s Head of Design & Technology, Lara Swan, believes there’s much to be said for ‘make do and mend.’ Here, she explores why encouraging a love of sustainability is at the heart of her department. 

 

I recently repaired my son’s loose pyjama bottom waistband using a length of knicker elastic that once belonged to my aunt.

 

She passed away not long ago, and whilst the repair itself felt slightly comedic, it felt oddly meaningful too.

 

Having grown up in Kenya and the Seychelles, where access to resources was limited, she embodied a true make-do-and-mend culture. Recently inheriting her large sewing ‘stash’ (where every button, zip-pull and pattern had been carefully stored), it’s clear that these values of resourcefulness had lived with her until the end.

 

It made me pause to think about how many items each of us really treasures. What do we value enough to keep repairing? And how many objects do we own that have demonstrated true longevity?

 

In 2009, I bought my first car — a two-year-old VW Polo. Known in our household as Marco (and without wishing to jinx my daily commute), he’s still running smoothly today. A couple of new number plates, sets of brake pads and numerous routine maintenance appointments later, Marco has clocked up more than 200,000 miles. Yes, the boot occasionally falls on my head, but he’s still going strong.

 

How many objects (like Marco) do we nurture because they matter to us or because they’ve been well designed and stood the test of time? In a world of instant access and constant upgrades, longevity can feel almost radical.

 

But endurance is something we try to instil in our students at Lord Wandsworth College. In a bid to live lightly, we seek to encourage them to be more sustainable and inventive with resources, rather than wasteful. We want them to be responsible users and by exploring this through practical design challenges, students begin to see that sustainability is not an abstract concept, but something rooted in everyday decision-making.

   

Recently, our Design & Technology Scholars submitted their entries for the Graduate Fashion Foundation’s ‘Young Talent of Tomorrow’ competition, themed on the title of ‘Delving into the Archive’. Students explored heritage, material memory and existing narratives, reinterpreting the past to inform contemporary and meaningful design. In addition, they are now working towards a new brief: ‘My Environment, My Future’ and are reimagining a local building – adapting it to be more sustainable, whilst considering materials, longevity, environmental impact and community need in the process.

 

Design doesn’t end when a product leaves the shop or the classroom. Understanding its full life cycle is vital, even when that product is out of sight.

 

By encouraging students to think about purposeful design and longevity, we can help them make more conscious decisions. They can choose materials more carefully, design for repair, and consider impact beyond immediate use.

 

Sustainability isn’t just about new inventions; often, it’s about keeping things going, valuing what we already have and designing objects worth treasuring in the first place.