The main focus of recycling has always been finding a creative use for it. For this reason, it is hard to control the quality and safety of products made from recycled materials. Cradle to Cradle redesigns products in order to take product materials back safely after their use period; it requires the selection of high quality and safe materials, taking water management, energy use, and social justice into consideration. Moreover, Cradle to Cradle encourages product manufacturers to adapt their product take-back systems to local conditions, which current recycling systems do not.

Cradle to Cradle encourages material upcycling and products/materials reutilization in safe environments. However, considering the case of a container, the ultimate goal is to design it as either a biological or technical nutrient so that its material can be continuously recycled.