The Living Product Challenge is an attempt to dramatically raise the bar from a paradigm where simply doing less harm is laudable to one in which we seek to be restorative, giving more than we take. The Challenge defines the most advanced measure of sustainability possible for the creation of all products and works to rapidly diminish the gap between current limitations and the positive endgame solutions we seek. It aims to transform how we think about every single act of design, production and purchasing as an opportunity to positively impact the greater community of life and the cultural fabric of our society.
The Living Product Challenge is a philosophy first, an advocacy tool second, and a certification program third. It is a beacon to guide how the thousands of things we surround ourselves with are made, and to give direction and support to those who make them. Within the larger Living Future Challenge framework that includes Living Buildings, Communities and Food Systems, the Living Product Challenge focuses on humanity’s most ubiquitous creations—its manufactured goods. It is in essence a unified tool for transformative thought, allowing us to envision a future that is Socially Just, Culturally Rich and Ecologically Restorative.
Regardless of a product’s quantity or the location of its manufacturing facility, the Living Product Challenge is a framework for design and production that achieves symbiosis between people and our planet. It is a challenge to immerse oneself in such a pursuit—and many refer to its ability to do so as a paradigm shift. But products that succeed can claim to be the greenest and most socially responsible of all, and they will serve as models for others that follow.
