Unpacking strategies toward E-textile Design for Disassembly. A preliminary literature review

The demand for E-textiles is anticipated to experience substantial growth in the future, particularly in the realm of sports and fitness applications. However, the increased usage and rapid obsolescence of E-textiles could result in a substantial accumulation of electronic textile waste, leading to environmental and health risks if not properly managed. The recycling and disposal of E-textile waste currently face significant obstacles as existing normative, classifications and technologies have not adapted to this new waste stream. To address these challenges, researchers have proposed the implementation of eco-design principles from the early stages of product design, emphasizing waste prevention through design for recyclability (DfR), modularity (DfM), and disassembly (DfD). However, the research on these principles in E-textiles remains scant. This paper conducts a comprehensive literature review complemented by several industrial case studies on DfD, DfM and DfR principles in Etextiles to understand their feasibility and effectiveness from both the academic and industrial perspective. The main finding of this preliminary study is the framing of four distinct strategies of Design for Disassembly (DfD) for E-textiles, based on the adopted disassembly methods that have crucial repercussions on the design and creative phases: (i) Modular designs aimed at fast disassembly of etextiles; (ii) Bonding, printing, and 3D printing electronics; (iii) Disassembly techniques of woven or embroidered electronic integration; (iv) embedded electronics biodegradability). From these strategies, the paper aims to draft guidelines for designers and manufacturers in the E-textile industry aiming to start a dialogue to promote innovation and sustainability and foster a more environmentally conscious approach to E-textile design and manufacturing.