durability Archives - Clothing research

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… Understanding garment durability through local lenses: a participatory study with communities across the globe

Garment durability framework with intrinsic and extrinsic properties in the centre, surrounded by durability, life cycle stages and local context.

New study highlights how cultural and local contexts shape the longevity of clothing

A new open-access article in Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio) explores how communities across the globe define and practice garment durability. The study, titled “Understanding garment durability through local lenses: a participatory study with communities across… New study highlights how cultural and local contexts shape the longevity of clothing

PLATE – Pleasant, but disappointing

The Product Lifetimes and the Environment (PLATE) conference aims to be a conference that brings together leading researchers trying to address ways for us to align our consumption more realistically within our planetary means. But… PLATE – Pleasant, but disappointing

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… The environmental impact of product lifetime extension: a literature review and research agenda

OsloMet researchers in EU Parliament meeting with EcoAge.

EU’s fear of addressing overproduction uncovered in eye-opening research

A new research article in Journal of Sustainable Marketing address EU’s Textile Strategy’s blatant avoidance of the volumes issue, and raises the question of why. In the Journal of Sustainable Marketing, a new article penned… EU’s fear of addressing overproduction uncovered in eye-opening research

Feedback delivered on ESPR 2nd milestone

Consumption Research Norway (SIFO) and NICE Fashion have delivered feedback on the Preparatory study on textiles for product policy instruments: Ecodesign, EU Green Public, Procurement EU Ecolabel 2nd milestone. All in all 19 comments were… Feedback delivered on ESPR 2nd milestone

Announcing the publication of Decentering Durability: Decarbonizing and Decolonizing Ideas and Practices of Long-Lasting Clothes

Just published in Fashion Theory, an article exploring durability through a decolonial lens. The research it builds on was conducted as part of the LASTING project, led by our very own Kirsi Laitala and funded… Announcing the publication of Decentering Durability: Decarbonizing and Decolonizing Ideas and Practices of Long-Lasting Clothes

Sustainable clothing design: use matters

Many life cycle assessment studies document that the use period is the most resource-demanding phase during the clothing life cycle. In this paper, we discuss how design can help to reduce the environmental impacts of clothing. Motives behind clothing disposal, acquisition practices and maintenance habits are analysed based on two surveys, qualitative interviews of households, and examination of disposed clothing. The main reasons for clothing disposal were changes in garments, followed by size and fit issues, taste-related unsuitability, situational reasons, functional shortcomings and fashion or style changes. Several design solutions can enable the users to keep and use the clothes longer, and reduce the need for laundering, thus potentially decreasing the total environmental effects of clothing consumption.