Categories and Design Properties of Inherited Long-Lasting Products

Lea Becker Frahm, Linda Nhu Laursen and Christian Tollestrup
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Lea Becker Frahm: Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, CREATE, Rendsburggade 14, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Linda Nhu Laursen: Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, CREATE, Rendsburggade 14, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Christian Tollestrup: Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, CREATE, Rendsburggade 14, Aalborg University, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: As a counter-reaction to the increasing speed at which products are consumed, companies have embraced the idea of designing products that last longer. To understand characteristics of long-lasting products, this paper examines the product categories and design properties of products that are inherited, and thus have a prolonged product lifetime. Based on previous research, we propose a theoretical framework with product categories and design properties for inherited products. We then deploy this framework on an empirical dataset of 175 inherited products that are identified through participants’ self-assessments. These are then analyzed in respect to 18 product categories and three overall groups of design properties: emotional properties (memories and brand), functional properties (functions), and aesthetic properties (colors and materials). Our study shows that the most inherited product categories are kitchenware (24%), furniture (21%), home decoration (14%) and jewelry (12%); it also shows that the reasons for keeping inherited products differ across product categories. However, inherited products commonly display honest and/or gracefully aging material, colors that reflect the material choice, single functions, and functional independency—that is, they do not rely on other products to function.

Keywords: inherited products; heirlooms; longevity; attachment; product lifetime; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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