Transitions in sustainable product design research

Abstract

By the early 1990s, sustainable product innovation (also known as ecodesign or design for environment) had gained sufficient critical mass in academic research to be identified as a distinct research area. In the past 15 years, stimulated by a growing environmental concern and awareness in the media, it has expanded considerably from a group of opportunistic eco-pathfinders trying to optimise products' recyclability into an acknowledged scientific research area regarding technology transfer and commercialisation. This paper proposes that this maturing process took place through a number of transitions; this is illustrated by discussing the characteristic aspects of each transition, which together provide a historic account of how academic research into sustainable product innovation has matured. In conclusion, several possible future transitions or extensions of the research area are discussed.