Design Indicators for Green Book Covers: An Integrated Quality Function Deployment and Grey Relational Analysis Evaluation

With increasing emphasis on sustainability and low-carbon development, consumer values have shifted toward ecological responsibility. Books serve not only as knowledge carriers but also as effective media for promoting sustainable awareness. The book cover, as an interface between readers and environmental messages, must balance aesthetic appeal with symbolic meaning. However, systematic evaluation methods for green book cover design indicators remain limited. This study integrates Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) to investigate and prioritize design criteria for green-themed book covers. QFD systematically links consumer requirements with technical attributes, while GRA ranks these indicators under conditions of limited and uncertain data. Empirical findings reveal that material selection and copywriting that minimize resource waste are the most influential factors in conveying sustainable concepts. The study contributes theoretically by providing a structured evaluation framework and practically by offering actionable guidelines for designers and publishers. The integrated QFD–GRA approach ensures that sustainable design criteria are objectively weighted and effectively implemented, supporting the broader goal of promoting sustainability in publishing.