Swarovski Conscious Design Hub
The Swarovski Sustainable Design Hub is the product of the brand's inaurgral sustainable design programme delivered in collaboration with the Jewellery, Textiles and Materials programme at Central Saint Martins. It is intended to be a lasting, free resource for designers from across a range of disciplines and to champion the transformational power of education and collaboration.
This platform documents the creative outcomes of the partnership, the Hub serves as an online platform which offers insight into sustainable design through case studies, lectures and other resources.
Swarovski x Central Saint Martins - Conscious Design
What is sustainable design?
Sustainable design means adopting principles that directly respond to issues relating to social and environmental sustainability. It means inspiring future generations of talented creatives and business leaders to transform those principles into practice.
Swarovski works with established and emerging designers and academic institutions to catalyse change, challenging them to reconsider waste as a resource whilst raising awareness on the importance of sustainability. Through their reignited crustal program the company donates unused crystals to schools and designers across the world allowing them another chance to be adored, not letting a precious resource go to waste.
For many years Swarovski has donated reignited crystals to Central Saint Martins for use in student projects to support the next generation of creatives and designers in engaging in sustainable practice. Having previously partnered with BA Jewellery, in 2019 Swarovski extended its partnership to include the entire Jewellery, Textiles and Materials Programme at Central Saint Martins.
Sustainable design projects
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Work for the Swarovski x MA Biodesign project with Central Saint Martins
Living minerals
MA Biodesign students investigated how we can radically use living systems as a driver for planet-positive innovation
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The Frontier of Piece, Zoe Zhang BA Jewellery
Reigniting crystals
BA Jewellery Design students explored the creative potential of Swarovski's reignited crystal
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Sissel Gustavsen, BA Textiles, Precious Fish. Image: Swarovski and Anja Riedmann
Conscious design
MA Material Futures, BA Jewellery Design and BA Textile Design used upcycled Swarovski crystal to produce design ideas with positive social impact
The sustainable design toolkit
Find out more about sustainable design and how you can use it.
Zoe Chutong Huang
BA Jewellery student Chutong discusses her project with artist and poet Wilson Oryema
Katie-May Boyd
MA Material Futures graduate Katie-May Boyd discusses her 'Foreign Garbage' project
Wilson Oryema
Artist and poet Wilson Oryema explains the importance of conscious design
Zoë Daley
BA Textiles student Zoë tells us about her project and approach to conscious design
Yasmin Everley
BA Jewellery student Yasmin talks about her project and approaches to conscious design
Conscious design panel discussion
Panel discussion with artist and poet Wilson Oryema, mining activist Dr Greg Valerio, Global VP for Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility at Swarovski Dax Lovegrove and MA Material Futures graduate Katie-May Boyd
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Image: swarovskiwaterschool.com
Swarovski Water School
Discover the way Swarovski supports the provision of clean water and water education to schools
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Photo: Bruce Basudde
Conscious design approaches
Discover how other students approached their work through conscious design
Further resources
Reading materials
- Conscious design reading list [pdf 60kb] compiled by academics from Jewellery, Textiles and Materials
- Read our Jewellery, Textiles and Materials Programme Manifesto [pdf 30kb]
Conscious design talks
Caitlin Hinshelwood
Joint Course Leader, BA Textile Design
Giles Last
Course Leader BA Jewellery Design
Keiren Jones
MA Material Futures, Course Leader
Katie-May Boyd
MA Material Futures graduate
Conscious design panel discussion
Artist and poet Wilson Oryema, mining activist Dr Greg Valerio, Global VP for Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility at Swarovski Dax Lovegrove and MA Material Futures graduate Katie-May Boyd discuss conscious design