Waste equals food: from dematerialization to rematerialization Cradle-to-cradle design yields an entirely new relationship to materials, energy and the making of things.Where eco-efficient designs aim to dematerialize – minimizing the negative effects of toxic materials and polluting fuels – cradle-to-cradle design seeks the rematerialization of safe, productive materials in systems powered by the sun.Rematerialization can be understood as both a process and a metaphor. In the industrial world it refers to chemical recycling that adds value to materials, allowing them to be used again and again in high-quality products.As a metaphor growing from this process, it suggests a design strategy aimed at maximizing the positive effects of materials and energy and participating in the Earth’s abundant material flows.