With rapid prototype 3d printers on-demand, online interfaces, and dedicated retail environments, mass-customization design is more accessible than ever. The authenticity, the hand-crafted elements, the uniqueness, and the perceived values of the artisan, are returning with limited-runs and consumer-crafted designs. Online entities such as Ponoko and Nikeid, and retail environments such as Mi Adidas and Ridemakerz, allow consumers to design and create their own things. But how does this emergence of mass-customization affect the future of sustainability? Instead of discarding a monitor or scrapping a vehicle, shall we simply 3d print the defective parts? If consumers can design their own possessions, what roles do designers play in designing sustainability? This paper explores mass-customization design’s role in sustainability via scenario-based topics including design for reparability, perceived value, design systems and methodologies, reuse, lifecycle analysis, and consumer commitment. Utilizing specific design examples, the sustainability of mass-customization design is compared with traditional design and production processes to reflect the sustainability-based opportunities and pitfalls found within this emerging movement.
8th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices
8th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices
