Who is impacted?
Figma is the go-to tool for almost everyone working with creating digital design for websites, apps, games etc uses. We all love Figma and the online* multiplayer design-tool was a game changer when it launched.

Files exported from Figma are tiny pieces of graphics (images/logos/icons) that gets implemented in solutions and hosted in the cloud. Figma does not compress files that gets exported. The designer or developer must use another app or service to compress that file. If they compress it at all.

Every time a user opens a website or app, that file gets downloaded from the cloud. That file takes up space on a server. The server is located at a datacenter somewhere, and a datacenter uses massive amounts of energy. Energy is a scarce resource on earth, and it is not always green. 

The bigger the file, the more energy it uses.

What is at stake?
A test-image exported from Figma (1920x1080 pixels) has a file size of:

• 1,8 MB as JPEG file format
• 3,2 MB as PNG file format

Using compression** on the image, it will look the same for the user but reduce the filesize by 91% on JPEG and 78% on PNG. That is a lot.

Compressed files:

• 0,15 MB as JPEG
• 0,70 MB as PNG

Why is now the time to act?
Compression should be standard on all Figma plans (including free).
Newer and smaller file formats should be added (AVIF & WEBP).
Expensive plugins and the cumbersome multi-step process is creating digital waste that is killing our planet.

A compressed file directly from Figma will:

• Save you time
• Give you faster sites/apps
• Better SEO
• Use less data (mobile)
• AND help saving the environment
• Simply better in every way

I believe in Figma and think they will make it happen.
They just need a bump.

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Figma was recently acquired by Adobe for $20 billion dollars. Expected Annual recurring revenue was expected to be $400 exiting 2022. 

* Figma is hosted in the cloud on AWS servers that has a goal of running on 100% renewable energy by 2025.
** Tested using TinyPNG.com. It will require me to upload files online to a server. That file gets compressed at their datacenter (using computing power) and storage space. And then a new, compressed file is stored there for me to download again.