When was the last time you took the time to fix an appliance in your home or mend a button on your shirt before throwing it away to buy something new?
In a world overflowing with disposable products, the concept of repairability shines as a beacon of hope. It’s not just about fixing what’s broken; it’s a foundational pillar for a sustainable future. When designers focus on making products repairable, they breathe life into these items, allowing users to develop deeper emotional connections as they invest time, effort, and care into their upkeep.
This process of maintaining and repairing items nurtures a sense of ownership and attachment. As users repair and personalize their products, they develop a stronger emotional bond, leading to a longer-lasting relationship with their possessions. This stands in stark contrast to the throwaway culture that dominates much of our consumer behaviour today.
An inspiring example of repairability is the Japanese art of Kintsugi. This ancient practice involves repairing broken pottery with gold, highlighting the cracks and embracing the history of the object. Kintsugi teaches us to value imperfections and see beauty in the process of repair. It’s a poignant reminder that repaired items can be even more precious than before, embodying resilience and sustainability.
Consider the automotive industry, where cars are designed so parts can be exchanged and repaired, encouraging longer use and thus greater sustainability. This approach is strikingly absent in the consumer tech industry, where products are often designed for obsolescence.
In this light, a new transformative concept has emerged in the realm of design called “OpenStructures.” OpenStructures is about open modular construction, where anyone can design for everyone using a shared grid. This system creates parts that are widely interchangeable and objects that allow for infinite adaptation and repair. It’s about finding solutions together in a world where resources are scarce, and change is constant. OpenStructures aims to replace our throwaway culture with a more sustainable one.
By adopting the principles of OpenStructures, the tech industry can pivot towards more sustainable practices, encouraging users to repair rather than replace their devices. My project, PolishPro, embraces these principles. PolishPro is a portable finishing tool with modular attachments for hobbyists and model makers. It fosters a culture of repair and durability, significantly reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
Repairability is more than a design philosophy; it’s a movement towards a future where products are made to last, not to be discarded. By designing for repair, we create sustainable solutions and allow users to form lasting bonds with their belongings, making every repaired item a testament to care and commitment.
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Janani Ganeshkumar
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