Cradle to Cradle

Andrea Paulillo

Chapter 27 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 89-93 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Cradle to Cradle™ (C2C) is a biomimetic approach to the design of products and systems whereby materials circulating in the economy are equated to nutrients feeding natural ecosystems. The concept is akin to that of the circular economy in that it promotes the elimination of waste and the establishment of continuous recycling loops. C2C is based on three principles: Waste Equals Food, Use Current Solar Income, and Celebrate Diversity. Cradle to Cradle™ is a registered trademark, and the C2C Product Innovation Institute has the licence to certify C2C products. The concept has some notable limitations, including that the environmental performance of C2C products is not assured – rather it is argued it should always be assessed via a holistic approach like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The similarities and differences between C2C and LCA are discussed, including the difference between eco-effectiveness and eco-efficiency.

Keywords: Recycling loops; Eco-design; Dematerialization; Decoupling; Absolute environmental sustainability; System boundaries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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