Analysis of attachment factors in small household EEE: An opportunity toward the circular economy

Elena Mulet, Vicente Chulvi and Marta Royo

Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2022, vol. 26, issue 4, 1364-1377

Abstract: Despite the fact that one of the goals of the circular economy is that products can be used for as long as possible, existing data show that the number of years that small household appliances are used until they are replaced is not increasing and is even decreasing in some cases. This work focuses on product attachment as a strategy to slow down the replacement of the product and, consequently, to lengthen product life, thereby preventing psychological obsolescence. To this end, a representative sample of 70 small household appliances with attachment‐related characteristics was analyzed to identify which of the 38 attachment strategies listed in the emotional durability design nine tools they contain. As a result, the most frequently used strategies are “design for animacy,” “design for variability and modularity,” and “connection or community belonging.” Furthermore, 13 of the 38 strategies do not appear in this type of product and the strategies vary to a greater or lesser extent depending on the type of appliance. Therefore, there is still a lot of room at the design level to exploit attachment in this type of product, which could be very useful for business models based on life extension services. Moreover, the method applied to search for products on the web and to assign attachment strategies can also be used for other sectors and products.

Date: 2022
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