Executive Vice President, Research at Material ConneXion, Chief Material Scientist at SANDOW
Andrew Dent plays a key role in the expansion of Material ConneXion’s technical knowledge base. His research directs the implementation of consulting projects and the selection of innovative, sustainable and advanced materials to Material ConneXion’s library.
As the Executive Vice President of Research at Material ConneXion and Chief Material Scientist at SANDOW, Dr. Dent has helped hundreds of clients—from Whirlpool and Adidas to BMW and Procter & Gamble, as well as tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple and Samsung—develop or improve their products through the use of innovative materials. A leading expert on sustainable materials, his insight has played an important part in creating a new generation of more sustainable products. Dr. Dent also oversees the materials knowledge of the sampling service Material Bank as part of the SANDOW company.
He is a frequent speaker on sustainable and innovative material strategies, having given two TED talks at TEDx Grand Rapids and TEDNYC, and is the co-author of the Material Innovation book series, which includes Packaging Design, Product Designand Architecture.
The ‘Sustainable Materials’ Fallacy
Take it from someone who has been on the front lines of sustainable materials implementation for two decades—just selecting ‘recycled content’ or bio-based’ is not a guaranteed way to reduce your product’s and brand’s impact on the environment. The reason we now hear more about the circular economy is increased understanding that any material choice needs to fit in with a holistic approach to design; and that the process of extraction, molding, use and end of life for the components of your product are as important as any buzzword tag for the material.
In this presentation, you’ll get a real-world understanding of the important nuances of approaching material selection, and how some companies have taken this to a successful conclusion in their products.
