The Future Is Circular: How Swatchbox Is Tackling Material Sampling Waste with Ben Glunz

I Hear Design: the i+s podcast

In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen sits down with architect and Anguleris CEO Ben Glunz to explore Swatchbox’s new Second Life Samples™ program—a breakthrough initiative that’s redefining sustainability in the design world.

Swatchbox has long helped designers streamline how they request and return product samples, but its new offering goes a step further: enabling the return and reuse of any unused material sample, regardless of where it came from. Leveraging a proprietary AI visual engine, the technology will assess the condition of samples and then the company will either recirculate, donate, or recycle them responsibly.

Together, Robert and Ben discuss:

• The environmental and logistical costs of traditional sampling practices
• Why circular design begins with thoughtful specification
• How Swatchbox’s model empowers both manufacturers and designers
• What Gen Z expects from sample workflows—and how the industry is evolving to meet them

If you’re passionate about reducing waste in the built environment, this episode offers real-world insights on how to start closing the loop—one sample at a time.

🔗 Learn more: secondlife.swatchbox.com