Contemporary calls for including ‘spiritual’ considerations in our understandings of sustainability are contextualized against the backdrop of modernity and the roots of design and manufacturing practices, as well as more recent design developments that focus on social innovation. An exploration of the meaning of spirituality and its relationship to worldviews, human needs and creativity, leads into a discussion of its implications for design. This results in a direction for design that not only brings to the fore ethical and environmental responsibilities but also more profound understandings of human flourishing and enduring notions of human wisdom.