Product Ecodesign
Environmental, functional, technical, and economic criteria from the outset
Designed to Improve the Entire Life Cycle
Industrial ecodesign is one of the pillars of Erum Group: a strategic service that integrates environmental, technical, and economic criteria in the first phase of product development.
The result is a product with greater environmental respect, industrial efficiency, and a lifecycle designed for circularity from the outset, not adapted afterwards.
Industrial ecodesign services: what we do and for whom
Erum Group offers ecodesign services for industrial manufacturers, brands, and R teams that need to redesign products, substitute materials, or improve the recyclability of their portfolio.
We are not a design studio. We are an industrial operator with decades of experience in plastic materials, manufacturing, recycling, and circular economy. This means that the ecodesign we do can be manufactured, certified, and documented.
Projects we address:
- Product redesign to improve recyclability and material separability
- Substitution of virgin materials with certified recycled materials
- Weight reduction and component optimization without loss of functionality
- Packaging ecodesign: packaging reduction, mono-material materials, recycled content
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) applied to product development
- Circular design for ESPR compliance and sectoral regulations
- Partnerships with brands, manufacturers, and retailers for circular product development
Concept
Consumption of
Materials
Production
System
Ecodesign applied to each stage of the product lifecycle
When we ecodesign, we incorporate environmental factors from the outset, acting on all stages of the lifecycle: materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end of life.
Applied with real industrial capacity, this approach enables transformation not only of products, but of business models and entire supply chains.
Product concept: dematerialization and functional optimization
Think Before You Design.
The concept phase is where industrial ecodesign has the greatest impact. Changes at this stage are the least costly and deliver the highest environmental and economic returns.
- Dematerialization: reduction or substitution of components without loss of functionality
- Multifunction: integration of several functions into a single design
- Functional optimization: elimination of elements without added value
Materials: ecodesign in recycled plastics and raw material selection
Ecodesign Makes Us Selective.
In material selection, we apply ecodesign criteria in plastics that go beyond the technical datasheet. We prioritize certified recycled materials when performance allows, evaluate the recyclability of the final product, and document recycled content for ESG reporting.
- Minimize weight and volume without loss of functionality
- Prioritize recycled, recyclable, or renewable materials
- Substitute high-impact materials or compounds that are difficult to separate
- Leverage own waste as useful by-products
- Document recycled content for ESG reporting
Production: industrial ecodesign applied to the manufacturing process
Industrial ecodesign optimizes production processes from the design phase, not afterwards. The result is a reduction in total production cost, greater productivity, and verifiable environmental compliance.
- Reduction of production stages and process simplification
- Cleaner processes: reduction of emissions, effluents, and process waste
- High energy efficiency equipment and renewable energy integration
- Minimization of waste and utilization of by-products in plant
Packaging and distribution ecodesign: circular packaging for retail and consumer goods
Logistics and Logic Go Hand in Hand in Ecodesign.
Packaging ecodesign is one of the areas of greatest immediate impact. For sectors such as retail, fashion, or consumer goods, an improvement in circular packaging directly impacts logistics costs, carbon footprint, and PPWR compliance.
- Reduction of weight and logistics volume: less material, less transport
- Certified recycled and recyclable materials in packaging
- Mono-material packaging design to facilitate recycling
- Reusable packaging or with verifiable recycled content for ESG reporting
- Compliance with PPWR (European Packaging Regulation) recycled content targets
Design for durability: use, maintenance, and planned obsolescence
Ecodesigning for User Enjoyment… and the Planet.
Design for durability is one of the requirements of the EU Ecodesign Regulation 2024 (ESPR): products must be designed to be repairable, upgradeable, and resistant to planned obsolescence.
- Identification and elimination of weak points that reduce service life
- Modular design: repairs and upgrades without replacing the entire product
- Simple maintenance and access to spare parts
- Timeless design: avoid aesthetic and forced obsolescence
Circular design for end of life
Recyclability, disassembly, and material recovery.
And This Is Just the Beginning…
Recyclability cannot be improved at the time of recycling. It is designed from the outset. At Erum Group we apply circular design criteria for end of life operationally, with real knowledge of how materials are processed in recycling plants.
- Mono-materiality: minimize material variety to facilitate separation
- Design of detachable joints: quick access to components of different materials
- Maximize recycling and recovery: design so that material returns to the cycle
- Facilitate reuse of the product or its components
- Biodegradable or compostable materials when the application allows
- Recyclability documentation: verifiable data for ESG reporting
EU Ecodesign Regulation 2024 (ESPR): how Erum Group helps you comply
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) establishes mandatory design requirements for increasingly broad product categories: durability, repairability, recycled content, recyclability, and availability of product information (digital product passport).
Erum Group’s industrial ecodesign projects are developed taking these requirements into account from the concept phase, generating the technical documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance.
What Erum Group's ecodesign service covers in relation to ESPR:
- Analysis of ESPR requirements applicable to the product or category
- Redesign for compliance: durability, repairability, disassembly, and recyclability
- Selection of materials with verifiable recycled content (GRS, UNE-EN 15343)
- LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) to quantify and document environmental impact
- Technical documentation: digital product passport and data for ESG reporting
Ecodesign with industrial capacity: what sets us apart
We are not a design studio that advises on sustainability. We are an industrial operator with a complete chain: materials, injection, recycling, logistics, and operational circular economy.
This means that when we design a product for circularity, we know exactly how it will be manufactured, with what recycled material it will be injected, and how it will be recovered at the end of its life.
What Erum Group brings that design studios cannot:
- First-hand knowledge of how plastic materials are processed in recycling plants
- Own manufacturing capacity: the design we do, we can produce
- Certified recycled materials available directly from our supply chain
- Verifiable technical documentation: LCA, GRS, UNE-EN 15343, data for ESG
- Experience in high-demand sectors: retail, automotive, packaging, road safety
Frequently asked questions about industrial ecodesign
What is industrial ecodesign?
It is the process of designing or redesigning products that integrates environmental, technical, and economic criteria from the concept phase, with the aim of reducing environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle. In an industrial context, it involves material selection, optimization of manufacturing processes, improved recyclability, and design for disassembly.
What is the difference between ecodesign and sustainable design?
Ecodesign is a systematic methodology based on life cycle assessment (LCA). Sustainable design is a broader approach that also includes social and economic dimensions. In industrial practice, ecodesign is the term used in the EU ESPR Regulation 2024.
What is the EU Ecodesign Regulation 2024 (ESPR)?
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation establishes mandatory design requirements for products marketed in the EU: durability, repairability, recycled content, recyclability, and digital product passport. It replaces the previous Ecodesign Directive and extends its scope to virtually all product categories.
Can you do packaging ecodesign?
Yes. Packaging ecodesign is one of our areas of specialization: weight reduction, mono-materiality, certified recycled materials, and compliance with PPWR (European Packaging Regulation) recycled content targets.
Do you perform Life Cycle Assessments (LCA)?
Yes. We perform LCAs applied to product development to quantify environmental impact by lifecycle stage and generate data usable in ESG reports.
Do you work with companies in sectors other than retail?
Yes. We work with industrial manufacturers in automotive, packaging, home, and road safety, in addition to retail. Industrial ecodesign applies to any company with plastic products that needs to improve its sustainability profile or comply with regulatory requirements.