November 2024
Designing for durability, repairability and recyclability
Haglöfs' Head of Design reflects on the challenges and complexities of designing outdoor gear with durability, repairability and recyclability in mind.
Most of the decisions that determine the environmental impact of a product are made long before it is made. The typical product design process spans the first product sketches to pattern making, color and material selection, and prototyping. As Eva Weiss, Head of Design at Haglöfs explains, the choices made during this process can have big consequences.
“The early stages of design are critical for considering sustainability principles and making choices that directly affect energy , water and chemical usage, as well as the longevity, repairability, and recyclability of a product at the end of its life.”
Here, we continue the conversation with Eva about how we at Haglöfs navigate the tricky and ongoing learning process of designing outdoor gear with durability, repairability and recyclability in mind.
Our approach to design
At the heart of the Haglöfs design philosophy is “Lasts Lifetimes,” a guiding principle that urges us to take the durability, repairability, and end-of-life of a product into consideration with every decision we make. This comes from the knowledge that keeping a product in use for longer can help reduce the need for newly produced replacement products.
“When designing a product, it is crucial that it has a reason to be—not just the product itself but every single detail,” says Eva. “At the same time, our design approach is about making a timeless product that remains useful to our end user for a long time.”
However, it’s not always clear how to get there.
“Knowing what to prioritize and making the right decisions can be very challenging, but we are looking into every detail and are not afraid to experiment,” says Eva.
Asking questions and navigating trade-offs
Even with a strong commitment to this design approach, we often find ourselves faced with big questions as we seek to make progress toward our goals. For instance, when we manage to make a recyclable and repairable product that lasts lifetimes, how do we prevent it from ending up in the landfill anyway?
“We are creating products that last so long, we need to think further ahead to understand what the repair and recycling options will be,” says Eva. “The setup doesn’t really exist yet to do these things on a larger scale.”
We also often face the dilemma of making choices intended to reduce specific environmengal impacts without sacrificing performance, which is integral to outdoor gear. For instance, a recycled zipper might be the more resource-efficient choice for a jacket, but will it be durable enough to withstand a lifetime of climbing and mountaineering adventures?
“It’s about weighing the trade-offs and making balanced decisions,” says Eva. “We are learning all the time and it’s important to stay flexible and be ready to change course if necessary.”
Finding the way forward is easier together
Luckily, we are not alone with our questions. As we navigate our way to better choices and stay up-to-date with the latest developments and practices, we collaborate with third-party experts and other like-minded outdoor brands. Working with our industry peers also enables us to combine the power of our voices to push for the changes we want to see, for example, in shared factories and the regulatory landscape.
Third-party experts
To avoid and minimize our use of harmful substances in our products, we adhere to the bluesign® Restricted Substances List for textiles and the AFIRM Group Restricted Substances List for footwear. For our down products, we abide by the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) to help ensure that no live-plucking or force-feeding of fowl has occurred in our supply chain.
“Having more transparent standards and a level playing field makes it easier for everyone to make better choices," says Eva. "Until that happens, we will continue to ask questions, share knowledge, and test new approaches as we move forward.
Key takeaways
- The design phase is critical for making choices that can affect energy, water and chemical usage, as well as the longevity, repairability, and recyclability of a product.
- One of the most effective ways to reduce the overall environmental footprint of a product is to keep it in use for as long as possible.
- Learning how to consider environmental impacts in design choices requires asking questions, experimenting with new solutions, and contemplating tricky tradeoffs such as durability versus resource efficiency.
- Collaborating with third-party experts and like-minded outdoor brands helps us navigate toward better choices and stay updated with the latest developments and practices in sustainability.
- Regulations that establish standards for reducing environmental impact in product manufacturing are crucial for driving industry-wide change.
Eva Weiss, Head of Design