Sustainability Language

Circular Economy & Materials

Durable goods

Tangible products with an average useful life of at least three years — cars, appliances, furniture — central to circular-economy design strategies.

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Definition

Durable goods are tangible products that can be stored or inventoried, yield utility over repeated use and have an average life of at least three years (US Bureau of Economic Analysis definition) — for example vehicles, appliances, electronics and furniture. They contrast with non-durable goods, which are consumed or used up quickly. Durability makes these products the natural focus of lifetime extension, repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing strategies.

References

Overview

What it means

Products whose long life means design decisions — repairability, upgradeability, material choice — dominate their environmental footprint.

How it is used

The category structures circular-economy policy (right to repair, ecodesign requirements), product-as-service business models and economic indicators.

Why it matters

Durable goods concentrate embodied materials and energy; extending their useful life is among the highest-value circular-economy levers.

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