The purpose of this paper is to analyze the application of eco-design in the redesign of a component from the footwear industry, the stiffener. The focus is on a reduction in the environmental impact and in the final cost of sports footwear. The case study took place in a company that produces footwear components. The eco-design practices considered during the product redesign in the company and their implementation were analyzed. We also investigate and discuss the reasons why the company was led to adopt eco-design and the difficulties and barriers encountered by designers in their application. The paper reviews eco-design, describes the research methodology and presents and discusses research findings. The redesigned stiffener brought the footwear assembly company a new manufacturing business partner, and led to a significant reduction in the requirement for adhesives and solvents, and a 9.7% reduction in the target-cost of the application process.
Eco-design; Eco-conception; Sustainability; Stiffener; Footwear
