What Does Sustainability Mean for a Small Product Design Company?

When we hear the word sustainability, it’s easy to think of paper straws and planting trees—important efforts, but one aspect of a bigger picture.

Too often, “sustainable” marketing leans on quick fixes—swapping plastic for paper, offering carbon offsets at checkout, or printing on recycled paper. These gestures can indeed be helpful—we call out our plastic-free packaging below—but when they replace deeper change, they risk becoming greenwashing. Real impact often comes from harder, less visible choices: designing for longevity, repairability, and keeping products in use as long as possible. As a small product design company with limited resources, since the day we started we've asked where can we make the most impact when it comes to sustainability?

We’re by no means perfect and have a long way to go as a fledgling startup, but we’ve started with what we know best—and part of why we started Nanu in the first place: using design to make products that last longer and can be fixed.

Designing for Longevity, Repairability, Circularity, and Materiality

Sustainability isn’t just about what we avoid—it’s about how we design, how we consume, and how we keep things in motion instead of sending them to landfills. We wanted to walk through three key principles that shape our approach to sustainability recently:

1. Longevity – Products That Last

Many products today are built to be replaced—sometimes intentionally, sometimes due to small design choices that make repairs difficult. Whether it’s outdated firmware, non-replaceable batteries, or fragile components, object obsolescence is often baked into consumer products. We take a different approach: designing with longevity in mind by using high-quality, durable materials that stand the test of time. For example, Arc Alarm Clock features cast zinc and mineral glass—materials that don’t degrade quickly or become obsolete.

Just as importantly, we aim for timeless design—something that transcends trends and remains relevant for years to come. 

2. Repairability – Fix, Don’t Replace

Most consumer electronics aren’t built to be repaired. They rely on glued or soldered parts, making even small fixes impossible. We design our products to be maintained, updated, and fixed, rather than thrown away.

• Firmware updates improve Arc over time, keeping it functional for years.

• Minimal glue, no soldered parts—we use connectors so components can be replaced if needed. 

• Repair guides & services empower customers to fix their products instead of discarding them. (This is a work in progress for us)!

3. Circularity – Giving Products a Second Life

Many companies don’t refurbish or resell returned products, instead opting to dispose of them based on material constraints or outdated firmware. We believe in keeping things in motion through:

• Minor Defect Sales – Our slightly imperfect products are sold at a discount, reducing waste.

• Responsible disposal – Products designed for repair are also easier to take apart, making them simpler to recycle or dispose of properly when the time comes.

4. Materiality – Responsible Packaging and Components

Our packaging is minimal and mostly recyclable—the protective bags for Nudge and Arc are made from cotton and bamboo fabrics, respectively. Nudge's bag is meant to store the product, and Arc's bag is compostable.

Designing for the Future

We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we’re starting with where we feel we can make the most impact as product designers and engineers. The most sustainable product is the one you don’t have to replace—so we’re designing with the future in mind. Stay tuned for posts on where we want to improve!