Design for change : communicating sustainability through design elements

Abstract

Being a multidimensional concept, sustainability is very difficult to convey visually especially through a brand identity. Despite this fact, such a concept is fundamental to nature, and hence, since design is an effective means of communication, a conjunctive exploration on which design elements communicate sustainability was conducted in order to promote sustainable behaviour to the audience. A semiotic analysis on the secondary packaging and online presence of four sustainable skincare brands was conducted in order to explore their practical approaches in portraying a ‘sustainable image’. Following thorough analysis, a sustainable skincare brand named ‘AURA’ was then created based on the observations identified in both the literature and semiotic analysis. From the literature reviewed and the analysis conducted, the design elements of circular shapes, green colour, and rough textures were all identified with conveying a sustainable image. The reason for this correlates with the concept of biomimicry, in which designs and ideas found in nature are emulated in product packaging. Since a link was also observed between the literature and the analysis, the practical project was based on such findings, and hence, the design elements of shape, colour and texture were all consequently applied in a way that conveys the notion of sustainability in both the tangible and intangible brand identity. Throughout the dissertation process it was thus deduced that design is indeed a conduit for positive societal change hence giving the subject of both design and sustainability significance in research and all of its purpose.