HVA , Copenhagen Business School, Royal Danish Academy & National College of Art & Design Dublin

Reframing Durability: From Lab Tests to Wardrobe Reality

📍 10 September | 10:25 – 10:45

Durability is more than just lab tests. What makes a garment truly last — physically, functionally, emotionally, and aesthetically?
In this session, Kirsti Reitan Andersen (Assistant Professor at the Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation) will share insights from an international research project with Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Copenhagen Business School, and the National College of Art & Design in Dublin. The project explores how brands in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Ireland define and implement ‘durability’ in their design strategies and business models. In this session, Kirsti will primarily focus on insights from the Danish context.

You’ll learn
Why customer insights and real-life use are key to designing durable products
What brands can learn from garments that remain in circulation for 5–10 years
How collaboration between product teams and business models strengthens both design and commerce
Why we need to expand the definition of durability beyond physical attributes

Speaker
Kirsti Reitan Andersen, Assistant Professor at the Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation. Expert in business models for sustainability in the fashion industry, local value chains, and design strategies for sustainability. After the presentation, Kirsti and the other project partners will be available for further exchange at the Innovation Forum.

For
Designers, policymakers, product development teams, sustainability managers