Sustainable Design Thinking in Applied Arts: Integrating Local Materials, Aesthetic Values, And Contemporary Creativity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E11/2026-04Keywords:
sustainable design, applied arts, local materials, craft knowledge, aesthetic value, circular economy, contemporary creativityAbstract
Background: Applied-arts design increasingly faces the challenge of reducing material impacts while preserving aesthetic distinction and recognising local craft knowledge. Local materials are often promoted as inherently sustainable, although their actual performance depends on sourcing, treatment, production, use, repair, and disposal.
Objective: This study develops an integrated approach to sustainable design thinking connecting material provenance, life-cycle responsibility, cultural and aesthetic meaning, and creative experimentation.
Methods: An integrative conceptual review and practice-oriented comparison draw on design-for-sustainability scholarship, circular-design guidance, ISO life-cycle principles, UNESCO's understanding of craftsmanship, and a recent Vietnamese account of Khmu weaving. No prototypes, laboratory tests, or life-cycle inventories were produced.
Results: Four recurrent tensions are identified: local identity versus environmental proof; craft continuity versus product standardisation; aesthetic novelty versus durability; and material substitution versus system change. A five-element PLACE framework-Provenance, Life cycle, Aesthetic coherence, Craft partnership, and Experimental iteration-is proposed with a decision matrix for material, cultural, and design assessment.
Conclusion: Sustainable creativity in applied arts should be evaluated through a traceable design process that combines environmental evidence, meaningful aesthetics, and fair collaboration rather than through the unverified label 'natural' or 'local'. The framework is a conceptual design tool requiring testing in actual design studios and production chains.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Tang Duc Vu (Author)
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