Nowhere is this more evident than in the widespread practice of so-called “free design”.
Designers are routinely exploited into producing concepts, mock-ups and even full creative solutions without pay, dressed up as opportunities for exposure and experience.
Author, architect and design mentor Ed Mun believes enough is enough. These unhealthy practices, he said, must stop.
His new book, “The Dark Side of Free Design”, pulls back the curtain on the unjust treatment designers routinely face, and calls for a fundamental shift in how the industry operates.
“For too long, the chaos, exploitation and unsustainability of the creative industry have been swept under the carpet. This book lifts that carpet,” Mun told FMT Lifestyle.
“It exposes the uncomfortable truths about how the system is broken, how creatives are drained, and how silence allowed it to continue. Someone has to speak up, and this book exists to be the voice for those who could not, or did not dare to.”
Mun earned his stripes after decades in the industry. He founded leading interior firm S.U.A Interior Design in 1989, runs the Ed Mun Academy in Petaling Jaya, and is the founder of F-IND – a global movement driving the No Free Design cause across 30 countries worldwide.
His life story is chronicled in his memoir, “The Rugged Walk”.
According to Mun, his latest book was written during the second wave of the pandemic in 2021. Three months of home confinement gave him the space to reflect on his 35-year journey in the design industry.
While many see the creative life as cool and exciting, Mun said few witness the battles fought behind the scenes. Reflecting on the unsavoury practices he himself once took part in, he resolved to make a change.
“This is my gift to the industry before I leave it for good. I chose to speak while I still can. The pain, frustration and suffering carried by creatives have been passed down from one generation to the next for almost five decades. I take this courage so others will not have to carry it alone,” Mun said.
The 428-page book, published by KB Asia Sdn Bhd, was launched on Jan 22 at the Netherlands Maritime University College (NMUC) KL campus in Cheras.
The book is filled with harrowing accounts of ideas taken without payment, juniors pushed beyond their limits under the guise of learning, and creatives emotionally pressured to comply with unsustainable practices.
Mun said he believed many designers will recognise themselves in its pages. Most disturbing, he added, is that these are not extreme cases, but routine industry practices.
Free design is a global problem. The book includes chapters from contributors in Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia, India, Iran, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey and the US.
“Different countries, different disciplines – but the same patterns. This involves humanity. People suffer financially, mentally and emotionally. There are cases of depression, poverty, burnout and even suicide,” Mun said.
The book also features a timeline tracing the roots of “free design” to as early as 1792, charting its steady rise and culminating in today’s widespread acceptance of unpaid internships and so-called “exposure” culture.
Mun said he hoped the book will enlighten fresh graduates about to enter the industry, as well as working professionals who feel exhausted, undervalued or stuck.
The book is also directed at clients, whom Mun hopes will stop seeing creatives as suppliers of free ideas and instead recognise them as professionals whose time and labour deserve respect, fairness and empathy.
“If we can stop free design, we cure the industry at its root. Once that stops, professionalism follows. This book is a call for creatives, professionals and associations to come together – to unite and rebuild a healthier and more sustainable industry,” Mun concluded.
‘The Dark Side of Free Design’ can be purchased through this link.