Design is a powerful tool; it has influenced how society and the environment have evolved over time. Every design decision and product manufactured over the last century has slowly led to the depletion of this planet's resources. It is therefore essential that industrial designers undergo in-depth research and reflection to understand the extent of the environmental and holistic impact that their product will generate during the use and end-of-life phase. Every industrial designer has the power to improve the global community by making smarter design decisions or contributing to this disposable lifestyle. By doing more research into materials and usage ritual during the design process and focusing less on aesthetics alone, the designer can find a balance to meet consumer needs without putting a strain on the planet's resources for the future generation. With this in mind, sustainable products can slowly move from a niche market to a mass market. This will subsequently shape products and society towards a more sustainable future. As highlighted above, industrial designers must undergo adequate research on the potential life cycle of the product before it is manufactured. Today's society has been pushed towards a more disposable and superficial lifestyle, so it is not surprising that most industrial designers focus on design aesthetics first and function second. However, Friedman (2003, p 509, 514) argues that a successful industrial designer requires a wide range of knowledge and awareness and this is achieved through thorough research in the early stages of design. Without having prior theory-based knowledge of the product's holistic and environmental impact once released to the public, the industrial designer would find himself...middle of paper...with-rob-williams-of-nike-flyknit-lunar- innovations>Friedman, K. 2003, 'Theory building in design research: criteria: approaches and methods', pp. 502, 509, 514Fry, T. (2009), Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice, Bloomsbury AcademicKnight, A. 2009, Hidden Histories: the Story of Sustainable Design, "Issues associated with sustainable design", access date: 15/03/14, Lifefactory, 2014. 'Reusable by Design', Date accessed: 05/04/14, Nike, 2012, 'Nike Engineers Knit For Performance', Date accessed: 01/04/14, The Guardian , 2013, 'How Nike Flyknit revolutionized the ancient craft of shoemaking', Access date: 01/04/14