Give designers a fighting chance of making a difference

Following the statement by the chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission, Sir Jonathon Porritt, that designers must cure themselves of ‘client dependency syndrome’ to further sustainable design, you posed the question, ‘Is CDS debilitating, and what is the remedy?’ (Voxpop, DW 31 July).

It is very easy to place the responsibility for saving the world at the feet of designers but not, it seems, to provide them with the support structure to give them a fighting chance of making a difference.

There are many designers who specialise in sustainable product solutions. Many can be found in the designer-maker, product development and packaging categories.

Many are their ‘own’ client or attempting to be so, but all are reliant on finance, equitable IP terms, brand-owners, manufacturers and retailers to enable new products, sustainable or otherwise, to reach the market. The problem does not lie with designers.

Maxine J Horn, Chief executive, British Design Innovation, Brighton BN2 1RA