Design For Disassembly (DfD)
Design for disassembly is an approach that involves intentionally designing products in a way that allows for easy and efficient disassembly at the end of their life cycle. It focuses on creating products that can be easily taken apart, separating different components and materials for reuse, recycling, or other forms of responsible disposal.
This design principle aligns with the 6Rs of sustainability, particularly the concepts of reuse, repair, and recycle. Design for disassembly means creating garments and accessories with components that can be easily separated and disassembled. This includes using fasteners, connectors, or other mechanisms that enable the straightforward removal of individual parts, such as buttons, zippers, linings, and trims. By considering the disassembly process during the design phase, fashion products can be more easily repaired, altered, or repurposed.
The aim of design for disassembly is to extend the lifespan of fashion items and reduce waste. By enabling disassembly, it becomes easier to repair damaged parts, replace worn-out components, or transform the garment into a new style. This approach promotes circularity by facilitating the reuse of materials and reducing the need for new resource extraction.
Designing for disassembly also supports the recycling process. By separating different materials, such as fabrics, buttons, and zippers, at the end of a garment’s life, these components can be recycled more effectively. Designers can consider using recyclable materials and avoiding complex material blends that are challenging to separate. This enables the recycling of fashion products into new textiles or other usable materials, contributing to a more sustainable and closed-loop system.
Furthermore, incorporating design for disassembly in fashion can encourage a shift towards a more sustainable and responsible consumption mindset. When users are aware that their garments are designed for disassembly, they are more likely to engage in repair, alteration, or recycling initiatives. This promotes a culture of conscious consumption and encourages individuals to participate actively in the circular economy.
In summary, design for disassembly in the fashion domain involves intentionally designing products with the ability to be easily disassembled at the end of their life cycle. It promotes the principles of reuse, repair, and recycle, as part of the 6Rs of sustainability. By considering disassembly in the design process, fashion products can be more easily repaired, components can be reused or recycled, and the overall environmental impact of the fashion industry can be minimized.
Case studies
Ellen MacArthur Foundation – The Jeans Redesign
The Jeans Redesign brings together brands, mills, and recyclers around clear design requirements for durability, material health, recyclability, and traceability. Guidelines include using safe inputs, simplifying fibre mixes, and minimising hard-to-remove components such as rivets, so that jeans can be more easily taken apart and recycled at end-of-life.
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MUD Jeans – Circular denim and “Lease A Jeans”
MUD Jeans designs mono-material denim products with carefully selected trims so that jeans can be mechanically recycled into new denim yarns. Through its “Lease A Jeans” model and take-back system, the company retains ownership of material, enabling repeated disassembly and fibre-to-fibre recycling within a closed denim loop.
Project link
Adidas – Made To Be Remade
Adidas’ Made To Be Remade concept shoe is engineered as a single-material performance product that can be returned, ground down, and remade into new footwear. By eliminating conventional multi-material constructions and adhesives where possible, the design anticipates disassembly and remanufacturing, illustrating DfD principles in athletic footwear.
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C&A – Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold denim
C&A developed Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold jeans that use approved chemicals, organic cotton, and trims designed for safe recovery. The garments are engineered so that components can be more easily separated and materials kept in biological or technical cycles, aligning product architecture with disassembly and high-quality recycling.
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H&M – Looop in-store garment-to-garment recycling system
H&M’s Looop system is an in-store machine that mechanically disassembles old garments into fibres and spins them into new yarns without water or dyestuffs. By making the shredding and re-knitting process visible to users, Looop demonstrates how simplified fibre compositions and thoughtful product architecture can support repeated disassembly and remaking.
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References
Niinimäki, K., Peters, G., Dahlbo, H., Perry, P., Rissanen, T., & Gwilt, A. (2020). The environmental price of fast fashion. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(4), 189–200.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2021). The Jeans Redesign: Insights from the first two years. Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Koszewska, M. (2018). Circular economy—Challenges for the textile and clothing industry. Autex Research Journal, 18(4), 337–347.
Sandin, G., & Peters, G. M. (2018). Environmental impact of textile reuse and recycling: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 184, 353–365.
Laitala, K., Klepp, I. G., & Henry, B. (2021). Does use matter? Comparison of environmental impacts of clothing based on fiber type. Sustainability, 13(5), 1–20.