Reduce new material consumption

One of the most impactful actions you can take when producing an artwork is minimising the consumption of new materials and/or engaging with regenerative materials, and reducing waste through careful planning.

Document thoroughly

Keep detailed records of materials, products, and processes used in your artwork for future reference in supplier vetting, installation instructions, maintenance, handling guidelines, and potential conservation treatments. Use the documentation template to get started.

Consider lifespan

Choose materials that align with your artwork's long-term goals, whether it’s designed to be ephemeral or performative, created with components that are easily replaceable, naturally ageing, or uses materials that will not change optically over time.

Source locally

Minimise transport emissions by sourcing locally produced materials whenever possible.

Research your impacts

Learn about material sustainability metrics using resources like Material Archiv.

Go mono

Choose mono-materials in a manner that can be dismantled into individual components at the end of the lifespan, and avoid irreversible coatings, bindings, and fastening techniques (e.g. adhesives, laminations, etc.). For example, solid wood can be composted, whereas MDF cannot.

Collaborate

Build networks in your community for material sharing and sourcing. Many material-sharing platforms already exist but if they are not active in your area, start the process with your studio mates, your art school, or people in your local area.

Avoid synthetic additives

Be mindful of industrial processing and synthetic additives in naturally-derived materials, which can increase the carbon footprint and hinder recyclability.

Reduce electronic device purchases

Opt for renting, sharing, or buying second-hand electronic devices to lower costs and carbon emissions.

Plan for maintenance

Select low-maintenance materials for long-term display artworks and include sustainable maintenance suggestions in your documentation.

Consider social implications and associations

Some products/equipment/materials have specific value associations. Do your research to understand these implications. For instance, does the material or the land where the material comes from have significant importance for the communities of its place of origin? (As an example, corn starch packaging foam, a common alternative to petroleum based packaging, is a sacred element for a number of indigenous communities of Mexico).

Consider your consumer power

Be aware of the environmental and social impacts of your consumer choices when using external services, products, equipment, and materials. This helps to avoid inadvertently supporting companies or organisations that don’t align with responsible practices.

Transparency is key

Seek out suppliers and distributors that are transparent about the supply chain of their products and materials and can provide traceable information about parts and materials used in their processes. Email or contact your distributors/suppliers to request relevant data. Have they been transparent about their practices, collaborations/chains and freight? Do their marketing campaigns use vague terms and sustainability claims that could be classified as greenwashing? For further support, use our email template.

Minimise weight for transport

Choose lightweight materials for artworks intended for shipping to reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation.

Rethink waste

While many artists waste very little out of financial necessity, it’s worth researching the hidden waste of materials through the supply chain and recontextualising the concept of 'waste' in general. All materials have a potential value.

Synder Moreno Martin, a Colombian artist, has shifted his practice to incorporate environmentally responsible materials and explore the processes associated with them. This change is driven by the health, political, and social implications of these materials. In his testimony, he explains the pivotal moment that led to this transformation in his work.
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“In 2019, I headed to London to study for an MA in Sculpture, thrilled about the chance to work with different materials like wood, metals, and plastics. But when the pandemic hit, the college shut down, and my dream of becoming a wood expert finished. I was quite sad, but as an artist, I knew I could create something out of nothing if I put my mind to it.

I was living in a tiny house, and the only thing I enjoyed was taking walks when the government allowed it. During these walks, I noticed people tossing out moss from their gardens. So, I started taking them home. Unexpectedly, those mosses became my friends during those tough times. I took care of them, chatted with them, and even wrote to them.

There's this idea that artists use 'materials' without considering where they come from or who's affected. But in reality, everything tells a story. Whether it's wood, metal or mosses, there's a whole story behind every "material", every matter, every being.

As artists, we can't ignore these stories. We have to listen deeply, not just to our own ideas but to those voices that are often silenced. Being environmentally friendly isn't just about using "eco-friendly stuff"; it's about understanding how our actions impact everything around us. It's not an easy shift. It challenges the way we've always done things. But it's also a chance to get creative in a whole new way, to really connect with the world, with our place in it and with our own existence.”

‍Here are some examples of how this takes shape.