The reuse lab offers unique expertise to support the implementation of reusable alternatives for single-use products. We focus on maximising value retention within the principles of a circular economy, where products can be used by one or more users for the same function over a long period of time. Unlike recycling, the life cycle extension and reuse of products demand significantly greater behavioural changes from the entire value chain, including the end user. The focus of the Reuse Lab is not only on how to design high quality reusable products and associated services, but also on quality control through the system, building confidence in reuse and optimising ease of use for the entire value chain through new business models.
The main target group of the reuse lab are companies and other organisations that are making the transition to reuse of packaging and other single-use products (SUP). The first collaborations are currently being started up in the food and packaging sector, the catering/event sector, the chemical sector and the medical sector. The Reuse Lab offers space for 3 types of experiments:
- Technical quality control for reusable products: design for reuse from bio/chemical requirements (contamination, pollution, bacteria, viruses), material requirements (degradation, leaching...), and structure & shape requirements (deformation (fit), accuracy...)
- Readiness and confidence in reuse: perception research, measurement of end-user confidence in reuse, communication and design interventions.
- Experimentation on new business models and product service system solutions, new value chain partners and organisation of all supporting services such as monitoring platform, IOT tracking systems, cleaning, quality control,...
For questions, contact: Jana Deforche or Els Du Bois