Local Upcycling as a Catalyst for Reconfiguring the Global Fashion System: PhD defence
Friday 18th September 2026, 10:00 CET, IFM, Paris and Online
Repairability of clothing and textiles: Consumer practices and policy implications
Authors: Anna Schytte Sigaard and Kirsi Laitala Abstract Extending product lifetimes through repair is a central strategy in sustainable consumption and circular economy initiatives. This article examines how consumers evaluate textile damages and potential to repair,…
New report summarizing knowledge on the environmental challenges associated with textile waste.
Textile waste as an environmental challenge – A Knowledge Base for What Now? The Change Lab (Hva nå? Endringslaben) – Nasjonalt vitenarkiv The report, written by Kirsi Laitala, discusses the significant environmental challenges posed by…
Textile waste as an environmental challenge – A Knowledge Base for What Now? The Change Lab (Hva nå? Endringslaben)
Author: Kirsi Laitala Summary The report discusses the significant environmental challenges posed by textile waste and provides a knowledge base for the Norwegian learning platform What Now? The Change Lab, aimed at educating children and…
Understanding garment durability through local lenses: a participatory study with communities across the globe
Authors: Hester Vanacker, Andrée-Anne Lemieux, Kirsi Laitala, Michelle Dindi, Sophie Bonnier & Samir Lamouri. Abstract The overproduction of garments, often of low quality, contributes significantly to environmental degradation, especially in the Global South. Therefore, assessing the durability of garments has attracted…
The environmental impact of product lifetime extension: a literature review and research agenda
Authors: Irene Maldini, Ingun Grimstad Klepp & Kirsi Laitala Abstract Consumer goods environmental policy is increasingly focusing on product durability and product lifetime extension (PLE) to reduce their impact. Given the growing societal relevance of PLE, this review investigates the…
Clothing Care – The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainability in Fashion
Authors: Ingrid Haugsrud, Ingun Grimstad Klepp and Kirsi Laitala Abstract The impact of the fashion industry on the environment is undoubtedly size-able. In response, the last decade has seen various changes in the fashion industry…
Urban transitions toward sufficiency-oriented circular post-consumer textile economies
Authors: Katia Vladimirova, Yassie Samie, Irene Maldini, Samira Iran, Kirsi Laitala, Claudia E. Henninger, Sarah Ibrahim Alosaimi, Kelly Drennan, Hannah Lam, Ana-Luisa Teixeira, Iva Jestratijevic & Sabine Weber Abstract Wealthy cities are the primary hubs…
Professional and private clothing repair in Norway: scale and price examples
Authors: Lisbeth Løvbak Berg og Kirsi Laitala Summary This project note is made to be used in the work of developing Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules(PEFCR) for Apparel and Footwear, more specifically for the working…
Washing Clothes
Clothes must not only suit the user and the occasion but also be clean for us to be well dressed. The meaning of cleanliness and the methods to achieve this goal has changed throughout history,…
The devaluation of stockings
Authors: Tone Rasch, Ingrid Haugsrud, Kirsi Laitala and Atle Wehn Hegnes Abstract Consumer practices related to how we use and take care of products have changed throughout history. Especially within clothing consumption, the changes have…
Why won’t you complain? Consumer rights and the unmet product lifespan requirements
Authors: Kirsi Laitala, Lisbeth Løvbak Berg and Pål Strandbakken. Abstract The Consumer Purchases Act is one of the cornerstones for ensuring that businesses are liable for defective or faulty products that do not meet the…