Obsolescência programa: alternativas circulares no setor têxtil e do vestuário em Portugal

• Main Author: Silva, Ana Margarida Santos
• Publication Date: 2022
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: por
• Source: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/22310
• topic: Obsolescência programada; Economia circular; Indústria têxtil e do vestuário; Modelos de negócio circulares; Planned obsolescence; Circular economy; Textile and clothing industry; Circular business models; Gestão

Programmed obsolescence emerges as a way to circumvent the challenges arising form the production of durable goods. By planning the durability of their products, whether at the functional or psychological level, companies are ensuring a continuity of sales. Nevertheless, the massive use of this strategy by companies involved in linear economic systems has been reflected in a panoply of adverse effects on the environment and society. Given these circumstances, he circular economy emerges as a new economic model that aims to safeguard the maximization of the value of products and materials in order to promote the minimization of waste production and the extraction of virgin resources. Having said that, the main objective of this study is to understand the presence of programmed obsolescence strategies in circular economy companies in the textile and clothing industry in order to acknowledge how these companies can circumvent the challenges arising from this strategy while ensuring sustainability. In this sense, we chose to take a qualitative methodological approach through a semi-structured interview, which was based on a twenty-six question script and delivered to six companies in the textile and clothing industry that adopt strategies within circular economy. The results point to the presence of programmed obsolescence strategies in circular economy companies in the textile and clothing sector, specifically psychological obsolescence. Research shows that the launch of capsule collections with unique designs and limited garments is a mean to ensure continuity of consumption and production. However, the results obtained also reflect that the implementation of circular economy strategies such as extending the life cycle of products or minimizing waste through the reuse of waste leads to an attenuation of the negative impacts arising from the application of the programmed obsolescence.