‘Cradle to cradle’ is a design philosophy for creating sustainable products. It uses materials that can either be reused or recycled, or that decompose safely and naturally.
The non-profit Green Products Innovation Institute is developing Cradle to Cradle Certification. This will include standards such as transparent and traceable use of chemicals, reuse of materials, use of renewable energy, water stewardship and social responsibility. It is also launching a free public database and framework to aid sustainable design, with information on alternative processes, materials and chemicals.