Classification of Materials
What are the two main categories of materials used in design?
Renewable and Non-renewable.
Which traditional material produces about 0.9 tons of CO₂ per ton manufactured?
Concrete.
What is the main difference between recycling and upcycling?
Recycling breaks materials down into raw form, while upcycling reuses them creatively without breaking them down.
What are biomaterials designed to do?
Interact with biological systems and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
What is a supply chain?
The journey a product takes from raw material to consumer.
In this type of design, old products do not go to waste. Instead, a product’s materials and components are repurposed or recycled. This keeps materials “in the economic loop” and saves energy during production.
Cradle-to-cradle.
Give two examples of renewable materials.
Bamboo, cork, hemp, timber.
What sustainable material has a tensile strength higher than steel? (on a per unit weight basis)
Bamboo.
Name two common materials that can be recycled.
Plastics, metals, glass, paper/cardboard, textiles, electronics.
PLA is a bio-based plastic made from what plant sources?
Corn starch or sugarcane.
Name two principles of ethical sourcing.
Fair labor, safe conditions, environmental responsibility, transparency.
What are the three core principles of C2C design?
Waste = Food, Use Renewable Energy, Celebrate Diversity.
Why are non-renewable materials considered unsustainable in the long term?
They are finite, take millions of years to form, and cannot be replenished easily.
Over a 30-year building lifecycle, sustainable buildings save what percentage in energy annually?
20–30%.
In a circular economy, what are the three guiding principles?
Eliminate waste/pollution, circulate products/materials, regenerate natural systems.
Which bio-based plastic is biodegradable even in marine environments?
PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates).
What 2013 factory collapse highlighted unsafe working conditions in global fashion supply chains?
Rana Plaza in Bangladesh.
What are the two types of “nutrient” cycles in C2C?
Biological nutrients and technical nutrients.
What is one key benefit of renewable materials like bamboo or cork?
They often have a low carbon footprint and are biodegradable.
Which green certification awards points for sustainable material choices like recycled content and local sourcing?
LEED.
Which recycled material can reduce energy use by 75% compared to its virgin form?
Recycled steel.
What percentage of CO₂ emissions can bio-based plastics reduce compared to petroleum plastics?
Up to 80%.
Which company pioneered transparent supply chains through its "Footprint Chronicles"?
Patagonia.
Give one real-world example of a C2C-inspired product or project.
Climatex® Lifecycle™ fabric, Ford’s Living Roof, C2C certified packaging, sustainable furniture.
Which type of material is aluminum classified as: renewable or nonrenewable?
Nonrenewable.
What is one key performance advantage of rammed earth as a sustainable building material?
Superior insulation properties.
Name one fashion brand that uses upcycled materials.
Patagonia or EILEEN FISHER.
Name one company that has incorporated bioplastics into its products.
Coca-Cola (PlantBottle), LEGO, Danone, or IKEA.
Supply chains account for what percentage of greenhouse gas emissions for most consumer goods companies?
Over 80%.
What does C2C certification test for? Name two of the five categories.
Material health, material reuse, renewable energy, water stewardship, social fairness
What innovative category includes mycelium packaging and algae-based plastics?
Bio-based materials
The Edge in Amsterdam is an example of a building project that received which certification?
BREEAM Outstanding rating
Which massive ocean pollution area contains 80,000 tons of plastic and is twice the size of Texas?
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
What is one major challenge facing bio-based plastics today?
Higher costs, performance limitations, recycling infrastructure, or labeling confusion.
What does Fairtrade International certification ensure?
Fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmental standards.
What problem arises when biological and technical nutrients are mixed?
They create “monstrous hybrids” that can’t be recycled or composted properly.