A Product-Service System for Safety Footwear

DS 116: Proceedings of the DESIGN2022 17th International Design Conference

Year: 2022
Editor: Mario Štorga, Stanko Škec, Tomislav Martinec, Dorian Marjanović
Author: Debbie J. Janson, Stephen T. Newman, Vimal Dhokia
Series: DESIGN
Institution: University of Bath, United Kingdom
Section: Design for Sustainability
Page(s): 1031-1040
DOI number: https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2022.105
ISSN: 2732-527X (Online)

Abstract

This paper proposes that safety footwear manufacture shifts towards a sustainable Product-Service System (PSS). The PSS consists of seven stages from identification of requirements through to disposal or replacement. Through this, designers and manufacturers can realise safety footwear that is customised to end user sizing, function, industry and aesthetic requirements. For end users, this PSS leads to the creation of more comfortable and practicable footwear, addressing the underlying level of acceptance of uncomfortable safety footwear, reducing waste and providing sex specific offerings.

Keywords: mass customisation, product-service systems (PSS), design automation, safety footwear