LASTING: Sustainable prosperity through product durability

This project asks the question: How can the lifespans of consumer goods be increased? The question is critical because evidence suggests that longer-lasting products lead to less materials extraction, lower levels of pollution and less energy use in all the phases of a product's life, including transportation. Yet despite this product longevity has been largely absent in the environmental discourse and public debate, nor does it figure on the top of the agendas of industries or private households. Indeed, the present system encourages the replacement of existing goods with new products rather than maintaining, repairing or adjusting the current ones. Through studying clothing and textiles, furniture and home appliances, LASTING will investigate how to keep the value of products, materials and resources high for as long as possible through a holistic approach including policies and regulations, production and design, and consumer practices. It will also promote lifespans of products as a crucial element of the environmental discourse, and by influencing central actors and decision-makers to implement effective political means enforcing product quality and consumer rights. The project will generate interdisciplinary knowledge between the fields of social science and natural science to measure the significance of product durability. Moreover, it will unite businesses that focus on product durability, develop new ideas and prospects, and demonstrate how lifespans can be part of sustainable business models. The interdisciplinary nature of the research is supported by a strong consortium from Consumption Research Norway (SIFO, OsloMet), the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), University of the Arts London, NiceFashion, partners from NGOs (Norwegian Consumer Council, the environmental organisation Future in Our Hands, and Ecolabelling Norway), the Federation of Norwegian Industries - Design industry, and six industry partners (Oleana, Miele, Livid Jeans, HAiKw/, IKEA Norway and Studio Føy). So far, we have published a total of six scientific articles that highlight various aspects of a product lifespan, from how to measure it, which aspects impact it and what could contribute to prolonging it. We have also finished a report on environmental policies where the review shows how the most effective environmental measure has barely ever been used but that it has fortunately been getting more attention since the EU's circular economy action plan was published in 2015. It has for example a more central role in the new Sustainable products initiative that aims at widening the scope of the Ecodesign Directive beyond energy-related products and aim at more sustainable products that are more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable, and energy-efficient. We have been active in giving responses to EU hearings with so far five responses on public consultations, with a focus on the consumer perspective and measures that could increase product lifespans. We have also worked towards dissemination among peers with 6 conference presentations, and among the general public by being active in media with a total of almost 50 interviews and opinion pieces. Information about our publications and other project updates are available at the project website www.lasting.world.

LASTING explicitly targets the main objective of the circular economy, namely keeping the value of products, materials and resources within the economy as long as possible. Evidence suggests that longer lasting products will lead to less materials extraction, less pollution and less energy use in all the phases of a product's life, including transportation. Specifically our research asks: 'how can the lifespans of consumer goods be increased?' LASTING's approach to increasing product lifespans is threefold: policies and regulations; production and design; and consumer practices. The project will begin by studying why product longevity has been absent in the environmental discourse and public debate, as well as from stakeholders' and producers' focus (WP1). Subsequent research will examine how companies work with increased product lifespans (WP2), how consumers engage in prolonging product lifespans in their practices in Norway (WP3), and the Global South (WP4), and what confluence of these factors can be envisioned in order to reduce environmental impacts (WP5). Finally, we will explore how increased longevity can be operationalized and thus implemented in policies, business strategies, product design, and consumer lifestyles (WP6). Dissemination towards various audiences (WP7) will complete the project. The interdisciplinary nature of the research is supported by a strong consortium of academics from SIFO (consumer researchers), NTNU (industrial ecologists), and University of the Arts London (designers), partners from NGOs (Norwegian Consumer Council, Environmental organisation Future in Our Hands, Ecolabelling Norway), the Federation of Norwegian Industries – Design Industry, and six industry partners from clothing and textiles, furniture and the home appliance sectors (Oleana, Miele, Livid Jeans, HAiKw/, IKEA Norway and Studio Føy).