The term “cradle to cradle” was coined by American architect William McDonough and German chemical engineer Michael Braungart in their manifesto-book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, published in 2002. This theory is not merely architectural; rather, it applies to any product, promoting a biological approach to manufacturing in which components are considered nutrients in a “healthy metabolism.”
Also known by the acronym C2C, “cradle to cradle” posits the circularity of the production chain. The term refers to an effort to eliminate linear processes — which begin with material production and end with disposal — rendering them cyclical, so that products can be used for an indefinite period.
