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January 4, 2023

The durability

What is durability?

Increasing product lifespan is an important step in the eco-design process. Today, clothes are worn for shorter and shorter periods of time due to a decline in their intrinsic quality, but also because of frequent changes in styles and trends. This considerably reduces the product's life cycle, leading it more quickly to become waste and sometimes preventing it from being reused. The shortened product life cycle encourages consumers to buy new clothes and leads to overproduction and overconsumption, which is a major problem in the textile industry.

According to the report ‘Design for Longevity’ by WRAP, extending the life of a clothing product by 33% (i.e. using it for 9 months longer than in the baseline scenario) would reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by 27% and water consumption by 33%. In addition to rationalising resource use and preventing waste, extending the lifespan of products therefore reduces their environmental impact.

 

Two definitions of sustainability can be distinguished: physical durability and emotional durability.

Physical durability

It considers the product's ability to resist wear and ageing, which can be influenced by:

  • The manufacture of textile and/or shoe products, particularly through the choice of materials, cut and fit, as well as manufacturing and finishing processes.
  • Resistance to abrasion, tearing, dimensional stability, etc.
  • The colour fastness of the product through the choice of dyeing techniques and dyes used.
  • Use of the product: maintenance, repair

Emotional durability

In its Sustainable Clothing guide, WRAP defines this as the product's ability to suit and remain appealing to customers for as long as possible. It is influenced by:

  • The style of the product, depending on whether it was designed according to timeless (basic) codes or codes that follow a potentially fleeting trend.
  • The comfort of the product, through the choice of materials, cut or size.

How can we measure durability?

Several ongoing projects are seeking to define a methodology for measuring durability: what is the lifespan of a product? What criteria should be studied to determine this lifespan? Physical and/or emotional durability? etc.

This work is particularly important in the context of discussions on environmental labelling. Sustainability is a key criterion for accurately assessing the environmental impact of textiles and shoes. To find out more about environmental labelling, see our cheat sheet on ‘Labels and environmental communication’.

Refashion offers eco-modulation to encourage sustainability. A per-item bonus is available for end destination marketers of clothing, household linen and shoe according to defined sustainability criteria. To find out more, visit our page dedicated to eco-modulation.

Design principles for extending service life

It is necessary to work on the durability of a product during its design phase, taking certain criteria into account:

  • Choosing the style of the product: favouring timeless or classic products prevents consumers from becoming tired of the product, which could quickly go out of fashion.
  • Adaptability / multifunctionality: creating a product that can be worn in several ways optimises its use (e.g. reversible or adjustable product).
  • The quality of materials, fabrics, assemblies and finishes: preventing pilling (by reducing blends and choosing long fibres), strengthening the resistance of assemblies, checking dimensional stability during washing, etc. are important aspects to consider.
  • Repairability: consider facilitating future repairs of the product during its design. Provide spare parts, repair kits, or even offer a repair service.
 

Quality Tests

To ensure the physical durability of your product, it is essential to carry out quality tests during pre-production and to conduct regular monitoring.

The main physical tests may include:

Resistance to abrasion, pilling, tearing, bursting or pulling, as well as seam strength, wash stability and seam slippage (non-exhaustive list).

Colour fastness tests may include:

Resistance to friction (wet and dry), chlorinated water and sea water, phenolic yellowing, domestic bleaching, commercial laundry and dry cleaning, as well as the durability of printing on textiles (non-exhaustive list).

Throughout the entire life cycle of clothing and footwear products, the use phase accounts for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. Proper care is important to reduce this impact, but also to preserve the quality of the materials, finishes and assemblies for longer, thereby extending the product's lifespan.

To raise awareness and help consumers take the best possible care of their textile products, advice can be given, such as:

  • Wash products when necessary, not necessarily after each use;
  • Reduce the washing temperature;
  • When washing, sort products by colour and type, turn those with patterns inside out and use a laundry bag for delicate items;
  • Follow the instructions on the product label regarding washing and ironing temperatures;
  • Opt for dry cleaning or steam cleaning techniques when recommended;
  • Dry laundry naturally;
  • Iron only when necessary;
  • To remove stains from a product, avoid rubbing too hard and using solvents that are too corrosive for the fabric;
  • Store products away from light, folded or on hangers with mothproofing products in cupboards.

COFREET

A few years ago, COFREET (the French Committee for Textile Care Labelling) launched the clevercare.info initiative, enabling its member brands to raise consumer awareness of eco-friendly textile care for the protection of the environment. Brands can thus display the ‘clevercare.info’ logo on their labels and/or communication materials, which directs consumers to a dedicated site where they can find numerous recommendations and tips on eco-friendly textile care.

AND FOR THE SHOE?

Here are a few tips to help consumers care for their shoes properly:

  • Do not machine wash, regardless of the material, as this may deform the shoe and cause the sole to come off.
  • Be sure to choose the right care product for the item and its material:

- For smooth leather shoes: waterproof them before first use and maintain them regularly with polish and leather milk.

- For suede shoes: waterproof them before first use, use a suitable eraser and a specific cleaning product to preserve the colour of the leather;

- For canvas shoes: hand wash with soap.

  • Untie your shoes before taking them off or putting them on to avoid damaging them.
  • After wearing your shoes, air them out before storing them in a place away from sunlight and at a controlled temperature.
  • When storing, do not stack them on top of each other and ideally store them in boxes for pairs that are worn less frequently.

CTC

For more information, visit the CTC (Professional Committee for Economic Development in Leather, Footwear, Leather Goods and Gloves) page ‘How to care for your shoes?’.

Encouraging consumers to change their habits towards eco-friendly care will preserve the quality and increase the lifespan of their textiles and shoes. It will also enable them to save energy and reduce their environmental impact. A real win-win for brands, consumers and the planet.

 

Repair, reuse

Once the product has been sold to the consumer, it is possible to continue offering services to extend the product's lifespan.

  • Encourage repairs: offer pop-up workshops and/or a permanent alteration and repair service.
  • Encouraging reuse and recycling through second-hand goods. Three major models stand out:
    • A fully integrated service: setting up collection points and then reselling (after sorting);
    • Offer a resale platform between consumers;
    • Working as a white label with a second-hand specialist.

functional economy

A change in business model can also be initiated by turning to the functional economy, which the Ministry for Ecological Transition defines as ‘a system that prioritises use rather than the sale of a product. It aims to develop integrated solutions for goods and services with a view to durability’. In particular, it can be implemented by offering product rental services rather than a sales model. Rental maximises the number of users (and therefore uses of the product), thus preventing consumer fatigue with the product style.

All these services can help extend the lifespan of products and thus delay the moment when they are no longer reusable.

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