Better Materials for Better Products – Efrat Friedland (Materialscout)

WAYS – Ecodesign Encounters from the Field

Episode #4 – Efrat Friedland (Materialscout)


About WAYS


WAYS explores real-world experiences at the intersection of
eco-design, product sustainability, digital transformation and
regulatory readiness (ESPR, Digital Product Passport, data
governance and the twin transformation).
Who This Episode Is For

Relevant for product designers, product managers, sustainability
teams and organisations working on better material choices,
circularity and eco-design readiness.
About the Guest

Efrat Friedland
Founder, Materialscout
About the Host

Wolfgang Steiner
Founder, Ecoviator
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolfgangsteiner/
https://www.ecoviator.com
Summary

In this episode, Wolfgang speaks with Efrat Friedland, material
expert and founder of Materialscout, about the role of materials
in sustainable product design.


Efrat shares her journey from industrial design into material
expertise – shaped by the realisation that the world does not
simply need more products, but better decisions on what products
are made of.


The conversation explores how material choices influence
environmental impact, product perception, storytelling and
collaboration across design, engineering, procurement and
marketing. Through a real-world case with BSH / Bosch Siemens
Hausgeräte, Efrat shows how teams can align around better
material decisions – and how easily sustainability claims such as
“recyclable” can be misunderstood.


A key insight: material selection alone does not define
sustainability. Materials may represent only one part of a
product’s footprint, but they remain a powerful lever when
combined with lifecycle thinking, supply chain strategy and
portfolio-level decisions.


Looking ahead, Efrat calls for reduced material complexity, fewer
unnecessary product variants, closed material loops and a shift
in mindset: brands should start seeing materials as their own
long-term assets.
Key Topics

• Materials as emotional and strategic product drivers
• BSH case: recycled materials in consumer electronics
• Recyclable vs. recycled – terminology matters
• Limits of material impact in lifecycle assessments
• Barriers to adopting new materials
• Positive Plastics as a learning tool for designers
• Closing material loops and reducing portfolio complexity
Action Items

• Reduce unnecessary material complexity
• Align design, procurement, engineering and marketing
early
• Think beyond one product: look at the whole portfolio
• Prioritise lower material use, not only material
substitution
• Explore take-back and closed-loop material systems
Soundbites

• “We don’t need more products – we need better material
decisions.”
• “Recyclable does not mean recycled.”
• “Brands should think of materials as their own assets.”
Chapters

00:00 Introduction
05:31 From designer to material expert
11:35 BSH material case
17:04 Recyclability claims
20:05 Materials and LCA
22:58 Introducing better materials
28:20 Positive Plastics
31:43 Future material standards
35:50 Making eco-design the norm


Content Type: Interview



Primary Goal: Education


Music Credits:
“Lullaby | Hip-Hop Instrumental” by kontraamusic
Source: Freesound.org
Licensed under Creative Commons CC0