What is the concept of transmaterialization focused on?

Transmaterialization is a concept that centers on reducing the environmental impact associated with material use by shifting from a focus on physical products to services. This approach emphasizes the idea that many of the functions or benefits provided by a product can be delivered through a service model instead. By offering services, businesses can minimize the reliance on material consumption, thereby decreasing waste, resource extraction, and the overall carbon footprint associated with manufacturing physical products.

This shift can involve innovative business models such as leasing, sharing, or providing access to products rather than ownership, which aligns well with principles of sustainability. For example, rather than selling a washing machine, a company might offer laundry services where customers pay per use. This not only reduces the number of machines produced and ultimately discarded but can also drive improvements in efficiency and resource use in the service delivery model.

The focus on offering services instead of products recognizes the necessity of sustainable practices in today’s economy, highlighting the potential to create value while significantly reducing the ecological footprint.