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Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Products and Services".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 12071

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Production Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
Interests: product and service development management; smart product development; statistical modeling and inference; stated preference models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Departamento de Engenharia de Produção e Transportes, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Interests: new product development; product design; sustainable products; design for six sigma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the 21st century, there is a rising awareness of the importance of safeguarding the environment and minimizing our impact on the planet. As a result, businesses are being pushed to embrace more sustainable practices in areas such as product design, management, and manufacturing. Companies worldwide increasingly recognize the significance of proactive policies and preventive measures for environmental conservation, encompassing both economic and ecological considerations.

This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring the innovative solutions that can help minimize the impact of humans on Earth. For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Product design strategies
  • New product development practices and tools
  • Management practices
  • Manufacturing practices and technologies
  • Digital technologies and approaches
  • Resource assessment and plan to minimize its use
  • Optimization and control of raw resources
  • Renewable energy
  • Energy transition
  • Environmental effects of production

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Diego Castro Fettermann
Prof. Dr. Marcia Elisa Soares Echeveste
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital products and services
  • Industry 4.0
  • sustainable products and services
  • product service systems
  • smart manufacturing
  • renewable energy

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 1192 KiB  
Article
Exploring Smartphone User Interface Experience-Sharing Behavior: Design Perception and Motivation-Driven Mechanisms through the SOR Model
by Jie Gao, Wenjing Jia and Jun Yin
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6670; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156670 - 4 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1172
Abstract
This study investigates user experience (UX) sharing behaviors in the context of smartphone user interface (UI) design, emphasizing their significance for UI enhancement and effective marketing strategies. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, we examine how design perception attributes—perceived usability, novelty, enjoyment, and [...] Read more.
This study investigates user experience (UX) sharing behaviors in the context of smartphone user interface (UI) design, emphasizing their significance for UI enhancement and effective marketing strategies. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, we examine how design perception attributes—perceived usability, novelty, enjoyment, and brand image—influence UX sharing, with a spotlight on the mediating role of individual motivation. A quantitative analysis (N = 472), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and mediation analysis were conducted. Our findings confirm that these components can positively impact UX sharing by bolstering personal expectations and self-efficacy in knowledge sharing, with perceived usability being an exception as it unexpectedly showed a negative association with sharing frequency. Moreover, perceived brand image and individual self-expectancy and self-efficacy enhance sharing outcomes. This research enriches our understanding of the strategic importance of user interface (UI) design in the context of smartphones, furnishing empirical grounding for devising sustainable UI design strategies and productive marketing tactics. Consequently, it bears considerable relevance to both theoretical insights and practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management)
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17 pages, 15779 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Multisensory Attractiveness of Cosmetic Packaging: A Study of Visual and Tactile Design Elements and Attractiveness Factors
by I-Chen Wang, Yi-Ru Jiang, Yu-Wei Wang and Chun-Ying Li
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5716; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135716 - 4 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1131
Abstract
The prevalence of e-commerce has led to a significant increase in online shopping among consumers, resulting in a surge in returns due to discrepancies between received products and consumer expectations. To resolve this issue, many retailers resort to disposing of returned items, contributing [...] Read more.
The prevalence of e-commerce has led to a significant increase in online shopping among consumers, resulting in a surge in returns due to discrepancies between received products and consumer expectations. To resolve this issue, many retailers resort to disposing of returned items, contributing to wastage and environmental pollution, thereby obstructing the path to environmental sustainability. Understanding consumer expectations during the design phase holds promise for addressing this challenge. While most designers still primarily consider the visual aspect, they often overlook the emotional experiences and overall evaluations emphasized by consumers through tactile sensations during product usage. Therefore, this study employs the Miryoku Engineering approach to explore the visual and tactile attractiveness aspects and elements of cosmetic box designs for young women aged 20–30 in Taiwan. Through Evaluation Grid Method interviews, 4 attractiveness styles, 7 original attractiveness evaluations, and 35 specific conditions were identified. The results show that tactile sensations can compensate for the limitations of visual evaluations when assessing products. Participants with extensive makeup experience tended to evaluate cosmetic boxes based on both visual and tactile sensations, whereas those with moderate makeup experience focused on visual sensations and functionality. The selection of materials that prioritize sustainability and reusability in the design of cosmetic packaging can enhance brand image. In addition, this study elaborates on the visual and tactile aspects of cosmetic box designs that attract young women aged 20–30 in Taiwan. The aim is to provide future designers with insights from this study to meet young consumers’ expectations regarding the tactile and usage experience of cosmetics, thereby addressing the issue of high return rates, achieving the vision of sustainable development, and fulfilling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.5. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management)
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19 pages, 5029 KiB  
Article
Simplicity Matters: Unraveling the Impact of Minimalist Packaging on Green Trust in Daily Consumer Goods
by Yuechun Ding, Xing Meng and Cong Sun
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 4932; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124932 - 8 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2244
Abstract
This study delves into the complex dynamics of consumer attitudes toward sustainable products, particularly within the fast-moving consumer goods category, highlighting the significant correlation between elegant and minimalist design aesthetics and the establishment of green trust in sustainable product offerings. Interestingly, while visually [...] Read more.
This study delves into the complex dynamics of consumer attitudes toward sustainable products, particularly within the fast-moving consumer goods category, highlighting the significant correlation between elegant and minimalist design aesthetics and the establishment of green trust in sustainable product offerings. Interestingly, while visually complex packaging may capture visual attention, it does not generate higher levels of green trust compared to simpler alternatives within the same product category. The findings underscore the importance of simple packaging design in mitigating consumer skepticism toward manipulative intentions and enhancing trust in sustainable products. Furthermore, this research reveals that individuals with higher levels of expertise possess deeper insights in perceiving complexity as a potential form of manipulation, thereby exacerbating skepticism toward sustainable products. In summary, the research outcomes guide sustainable product packaging design, emphasizing alternative solutions to convoluted designs that may lead to confusion. The effectiveness of simple design expression in sustainable products is emphasized, fostering the transition toward sustainable business efficacy and long-term development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management)
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28 pages, 2758 KiB  
Article
Optimal Sustainable Manufacturing for Product Family Architecture in Intelligent Manufacturing: A Hierarchical Joint Optimization Approach
by Yujie Ma, Xueer Chen and Shuang Ma
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2727; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072727 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 952
Abstract
As consumers and governments prioritize cost-effectiveness and ecological sustainability, the limitations of traditional manufacturing paradigms become apparent in the context of constrained resources. The adverse effects of these paradigms on the environment and society hinder the achievement of a sustainable product life cycle. [...] Read more.
As consumers and governments prioritize cost-effectiveness and ecological sustainability, the limitations of traditional manufacturing paradigms become apparent in the context of constrained resources. The adverse effects of these paradigms on the environment and society hinder the achievement of a sustainable product life cycle. Intelligent manufacturing processes offer a solution by efficiently gathering meaningful data, such as usage and product recycling information, from previous product generations to enhance product design and subsequent sustainable manufacturing processes (SMPs). Modular product family architecture (PFA) design holds promise in promoting product sustainability and addressing diverse consumer needs. PFA design and SMPs are inherently interconnected within intelligent manufacturing frameworks. This paper aims to integrate the decision-making processes underlying PFA with SMPs. We model integrated PFA and SMP decisions as a Stackelberg game, which involves hierarchical joint optimization (HJO) for assessing product modularity and sustainable manufacturing fulfillment. We develop a bilevel 0–1 integer nonlinear programming model to represent the HJO decision-making process and propose a nested genetic algorithm (NGA) to solve the HJO problem. A case study with a laptop is conducted to validate the feasibility and potential of the proposed HJO model for joint optimization problems in PFA design and SMPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management)
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28 pages, 9749 KiB  
Article
Designing Environmentally Sustainable Furniture Products: Furniture-Specific Life Cycle Design Guidelines and a Toolkit to Promote Environmental Performance
by Dongfang Yang and Carlo Vezzoli
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2628; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072628 - 22 Mar 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3738
Abstract
As awareness of the serious environmental impact of the furniture sector increases, design is increasingly recognized as a crucial lever for innovating towards sustainable furniture products. This acknowledgment was emphasized by the European Union in the Circular Economy Action Plan in 2020 and [...] Read more.
As awareness of the serious environmental impact of the furniture sector increases, design is increasingly recognized as a crucial lever for innovating towards sustainable furniture products. This acknowledgment was emphasized by the European Union in the Circular Economy Action Plan in 2020 and is further emphasized in the forthcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation in 2024. To address the environmental issues stemming from the life cycle of furniture products, which constitute the fundamental part of the furniture system, specific design knowledge and know-how are developed within this study. Although Life Cycle Design (LCD) is a systematic approach to reducing environmental impacts, its application within the furniture system remains limited. This paper adopts a design-based research approach with three research stages and employs various methods including a literature review, case study, workshops, interviews, questionnaires, and a focus group to develop furniture-specific LCD guidelines and a toolkit. As a result, this paper presents furniture-specific LCD guidelines (comprising 7 strategies, 21 sub-strategies, and 154 guidelines), 41 environmentally sustainable furniture case cards, and a toolkit (comprising 4 tools). These guidelines provide comprehensive principles for designers to address environmental impact throughout the furniture’s life cycle. The toolkit guides sustainable furniture LCD, promoting low environmental impact and high design efficiency. These outcomes address the existing gaps in knowledge and tools in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management)
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33 pages, 5719 KiB  
Article
A Framework of Hybrid Method for Developing Optimal Sustainable Product Strategies and Sustainable Product Roadmap
by Chun-Wei Chen
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1374; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041374 - 6 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2058
Abstract
The success of sustainable product strategies is widely recognized as pivotal to the successful development of sustainable products. Despite some existing research on sustainable product strategies, there is a notable lack of investigation into the tools necessary for their effective development. To address [...] Read more.
The success of sustainable product strategies is widely recognized as pivotal to the successful development of sustainable products. Despite some existing research on sustainable product strategies, there is a notable lack of investigation into the tools necessary for their effective development. To address this gap, our study aims to (1) introduce a methodological framework that systematically shapes sustainable product strategy, incorporating key technologies like a Sustainable Product Strategies Focus Group (SPSFG), Brainstorming, Weighted Decision Matrix (WDM), and Genetic Algorithm (GA); (2) demonstrate the practical application of this framework through the example of 3C products; and (3) contribute theoretically by proposing a tool for creating sustainable product strategies that integrates management principles, providing a practical guide for the development of control systems and tools. This study also maps out implications for the future of sustainable 3C products. The development of optimal sustainable product strategies across various sectors requires a comprehensive hybrid approach. This method combines diverse methodologies to create a robust framework addressing unique challenges in health systems, education, environment, industry, agriculture, energy, and resource management. Leveraging quantitative analysis, qualitative assessment, and systems thinking, the hybrid approach provides a nuanced understanding of interdependencies within these sectors. Integrating data-driven insights and qualitative considerations facilitates sustainable strategies, optimizing resource utilization for long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits. This holistic methodology enables a more effective response to interconnected challenges in health systems, education, environmental preservation, industry, agriculture, energy, and resource management, promoting a more sustainable future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Product Design, Manufacturing and Management)
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