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Design Guidelines to Develop Circular Products: Action Research on Nordic Industry

Author

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  • Sasha Shahbazi

    (RISE IVF, 43 122 Mölndal, Sweden)

  • Anna Karin Jönbrink

    (Environment and Sustainability Section, Afry, 401 51 Göteborg, Sweden)

Abstract

Product design and development are key to moving towards a circular economy; however, the majority of products and components that are currently recirculated have not been designed for circulation of any sort. Circular economy business models and closing the loop can be functional only if the products and services are designed for circularity. This paper presents a set of generic design guidelines for different circular strategies. The guidelines are then used to map companies’ circular product design initiatives in the early stages of product design and development. The guidelines have proved to support decision-making and enhance the circularity of products. The guidelines were developed, validated, and tested at four companies within the Nordic countries through an action research approach. Sourcing raw materials, recycling, and ensuring the robustness of products for the use phase are the most common strategies used by the studied companies. There is an ongoing transition towards other recirculation strategies, such as repair, remanufacture, and reuse.

Suggested Citation

  • Sasha Shahbazi & Anna Karin Jönbrink, 2020. "Design Guidelines to Develop Circular Products: Action Research on Nordic Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-14, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3679-:d:353337
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sasha Shahbazi & Martin Kurdve & Mats Zackrisson & Christina Jönsson & Anna Runa Kristinsdottir, 2019. "Comparison of Four Environmental Assessment Tools in Swedish Manufacturing: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Louise Lindkvist Haziri & Erik Sundin & Tomohiko Sakao, 2019. "Feedback from Remanufacturing: Its Unexploited Potential to Improve Future Product Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-24, July.
    3. Bogdan Branowski & Marek Zabłocki & Maciej Sydor, 2019. "The Material Indices Method in the Sustainable Engineering Design Process: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Stefano Poponi & Gabriella Arcese & Enrico Maria Mosconi & Michelangelo Arezzo di Trifiletti, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Drivers for the Development of the Circular Business Model: The Role of Academic Spin-Off," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Qidan Hu & Ying Peng & Chunxiang Guo & Dong Cai & Peiyang Su, 2019. "Dynamic Incentive Mechanism Design for Recycling Construction and Demolition Waste under Dual Information Asymmetry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-24, May.
    6. Dubois, Anna & Gadde, Lars-Erik, 2002. "Systematic combining: an abductive approach to case research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(7), pages 553-560, July.
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    1. Sasha Shahbazi & Kerstin Johansen & Erik Sundin, 2021. "Product Design for Automated Remanufacturing—A Case Study of Electric and Electronic Equipment in Sweden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-19, August.
    2. Davide Bruno & Marinella Ferrara & Felice D’Alessandro & Alberto Mandelli, 2022. "The Role of Design in the CE Transition of the Furniture Industry—The Case of the Italian Company Cassina," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Jeff Mangers & Meysam Minoufekr & Peter Plapper & Sri Kolla, 2021. "An Innovative Strategy Allowing a Holistic System Change towards Circular Economy within Supply-Chains," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    4. Diana Blagu & Denisa Szabo & Diana Dragomir & Călin Neamțu & Daniela Popescu, 2022. "Offering Carbon Smart Options through Product Development to Meet Customer Expectations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Marta Royo & Vicente Chulvi & Elena Mulet & Laura Ruiz‐Pastor, 2023. "Analysis of parameters about useful life extension in 70 tools and methods related to eco‐design and circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(2), pages 562-586, April.
    6. Sagar Dangal & Jeremy Faludi & Ruud Balkenende, 2022. "Design Aspects in Repairability Scoring Systems: Comparing Their Objectivity and Completeness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    7. Constantin Torcătoru & Dan Săvescu & Angela Repanovici, 2022. "Literature Review by Scientometric Methods on the Impact of the Circular Economy on Sustainable Industrial Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, April.
    8. Ludovic F. Dumée, 2022. "Circular Materials and Circular Design—Review on Challenges Towards Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 9-23, March.
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    10. Julie Kamp Albæk & Sasha Shahbazi & Tim C. McAloone & Daniela C. A. Pigosso, 2020. "Circularity Evaluation of Alternative Concepts During Early Product Design and Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-25, November.
    11. Jonas Keller & Carla Scagnetti & Stefan Albrecht, 2022. "The Relevance of Recyclability for the Life Cycle Assessment of Packaging Based on Design for Life Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-13, March.
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