Eliminating Plastic Waste Before It Starts
Plastic pollution isn’t a distant environmental issue…it’s a global crisis that connects ecosystems, economies, and people in ways we often overlook. There’s growing urgency to shift the conversation upstream, to the very beginning of the product life cycle.
Description: A boy reaches for a ball on a creek clogged with plastic waste in Caloocan (Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/interactive/2023/philippines-city-swallowed-by-plastic-waste/)
Why Circular Design Matters Now More Than Ever
The world’s most vulnerable ocean shorelines aren’t drowning in plastic because we can’t clean it up, they’re drowning because we keep creating it. Ocean plastic pollution is a global crisis that connects ecosystems, economies, and people in ways we often overlook! While many conversations focus on waste after it's been created, there’s growing urgency to shift the conversation upstream, to the very beginning of the product life cycle.
That’s why we’re focusing on two core themes in this piece: circularity and ocean plastic pollution, and how both pre-consumer product innovation and post-consumer product recovery (including solutions for buy-backs, material reuse, or repair) must converge so we can work towards creating a regenerative future.
Why Ocean Plastic Demands a Circular Response
When we picture the plastic crisis, we often imagine remote islands or massive patches of trash floating in the ocean. But one of the most urgent examples is the Philippines, a country facing severe plastic pollution along its shorelines.
With thousands of islands, dense coastal communities, and limited waste infrastructure, the Philippines struggles to manage the sheer volume of waste. A major contributor is the use of single-use plastic sachets: small, unrecyclable packets used for everyday items like shampoo or coffee. These are often introduced by global brands as affordable options for low-income communities, but they quickly pile up as waste with no clear disposal solution.
This shows how plastic pollution is not just about individual behavior. It’s often driven by how products are designed and marketed. To create real change, we need systems that prioritize sustainable options and make them accessible to all.
According to the World Bank, around 163 million pieces of sachets are consumed by Filipinos almost every day, resulting in a whopping 2.7 million tons of plastic waste generated in the Philippines annually.
Description: Locals participate in a shoreline cleanup // Phillippines. (Source: https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/2168819/philippines-plastic-pollution-why-so-much-waste-ends-oceans)
Key Stats
2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste are generated annually in the Philippines. This shows the urgent need to reduce plastic at the source, not just manage it after the fact.
Source: Earth.orgOver 60 billion plastic sachets are used each year. These single-use packets can’t be recycled, showing how poor packaging design creates lasting waste.
Source: Giving Compass20% of plastic waste ends up in oceans and waterways. This reinforces why prevention through smart product design is essential.
Source: Arowana Impact CapitalThe Pasig River is one of the world’s top plastic-emitting rivers. A result of poor infrastructure and too many disposable products. Better design can ease this pressure.
Source: Earth.orgManila Bay and Boracay are among the most plastic-polluted shorelines in the Philippines. These coastal areas suffer from global packaging decisions, proving the need for upstream solutions.
Source: Giving Compass
What’s important is that much of the plastic waste found in the Philippines isn’t generated there, it stems from global production and packaging choices. This highlights an urgent need to rethink how products are designed. Circular solutions must start at the source, reducing waste before it’s ever created. Designing smarter, not just cleaning up after the fact, is the solution to eliminating some of the world's most pressing ocean plastic pollution challenges!
This is where the Idea of implementing a “Circular Economy” approach comes in…
When embedded into business models from the start, circularity creates value while reducing waste. It also drives innovation — especially when paired with sustainability goals that prioritize people and the planet.
Case Study: EarthSuds and Pre-Consumer Circularity
So… what exactly is a circular economy?
A circular economy keeps materials in use for as long as possible by rethinking the way we design, produce, and dispose of products. Unlike the traditional “take, make, waste” model, circularity promotes a regenerative, closed-loop system where nothing is wasted. Here’s how it works:
Reuse & Refill: Encouraging consumers to use items multiple times instead of buying new
Repair & Recycle: Fixing what’s broken and designing products so that their parts and materials can be returned back into the production cycle
Compost & Biodegrade: Using materials that naturally break down and can be returned to the earth without harmful impacts
Smart Design: Creating products that are modular, low-waste, and built to last a long time, to eliminate the need for new ones or replacements
One powerful example of circular thinking in action is EarthSuds, a company tackling the plastic problem by well…removing it entirely. Instead of packaging shampoo, conditioner, or body wash in bottles, EarthSuds has developed dissolvable tablets that eliminate single-use plastic from the equation!
Diagram from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, illustrating the circular economy approach to product production and consumer life cycle.
EarthSuds Highlights:
One tablet = one wash
No bottles, no pumps, no landfill
Products are 10x more compact, reducing shipping emissions by around 80%
Packaged in 100% recyclable, plastic-free materials
Formulas use naturally derived, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients
Over 5.7 billion plastic toiletry bottles are discarded every year... this model replaces them entirely
This approach is a convincing case for pre-consumer circularity, where waste is designed out of the system before it's ever created.
Post-Consumer Solutions: Cleanup and Community
While redesigning products is a critical step, post-consumer strategies also play a key role in closing the loop. Organizations like Pro Ocean, a German non-profit operating in the Philippines, focus on:
Removing existing ocean plastic through daily cleanups
Educating communities about sustainable consumption
Conducting brand audits to hold corporations accountable for the packaging that ends up on shorelines
These initiatives highlight the importance of engaging people at the community level and reclaiming plastic already in circulation. While it’s not a complete solution, post-consumer recovery ensures that today’s waste doesn’t become tomorrow’s disaster.
The combination of pre-consumer innovation and post-consumer recovery is essential. Both ends of the loop must be addressed if we want to shift the plastic narrative from pollution to prevention.
Description: A recycled running shoe designed by Nike, crafted from repurposed plastic and featuring a durable sole made from recycled rubber. This innovation reflects Nike’s commitment to circular design — turning waste into performance-driven gear. A leading example of how global brands are rethinking product lifecycles to reduce environmental impact and inspire sustainable innovation (Source: https://www.oceansplasticleanup.com/Cleaning_Up_Operations/Nike_Shoes_Ocean_Plastic_Recycled_Recycling_Sports_Rubber.htm)
Why Design-Led Sustainability is the Future
The takeaway is simple: we don’t have to wait until the end of a product’s life to act sustainably. In fact, the most powerful environmental impact happens when we embed circularity at the design stage, through materials, packaging, supply chains, and product formats that empower businesses to shape a more regenerative and circular economy.
Whether it’s a dissolvable shampoo tablet or a local beach cleanup initiative, every action in the circular economy contributes to a world where every community can thrive without the burden of commercial waste washing up on our shorelines.
By exploring ways to innovate within your business, rethinking how you manage waste in daily life, or educating others in your community, you can help kickstart a shift away from single-use plastic dependency. Redesigning product life cycles and prioritizing sustainability at the source is key to building a future where waste is minimized and thoughtful design becomes one of our most powerful environmental tools.
Let’s Keep the Loop Going!
Sustainability isn't something we slap on at the end of a product’s lifecycle. It starts at the drawing board. And with brands like EarthSuds leading the way, the future is already being reshaped in a way that’s cleaner, smarter, and more circular.
If you’re a business looking to reduce your environmental footprint or explore circular product development, now is the time to act!
Let’s move beyond single-use and toward systems that truly give back to the planet and keep our oceans plastic waste-free.
In the meantime, you can support circular brands like EarthSuds and reduce waste in your product line by partnering with brands like Circle³.
With the right kind of collaboration, we can all be part of designing a better future!
Ready to align your business with the planet and your purpose? Let’s get started