The purpose of this research was to perform a post-use evaluation of retired firefighter turnout gear. Garments were categorized as 10-12 years old, 13-17 years old and 18-21 years old. Inspection and test procedures required by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1851 and NFPA 1971 were followed to determine if the current recommended 10 year wear life (retirement age) is appropriate. Testing included a visual inspection (closure system functionality, light evaluation, leakage evaluation and flashlight test) and performance properties (Thermal Protective Performance (TPP), flammability, breaking strength, tear strength, seam strength and water penetration) completed on 108 garments. Ten-year retirement, care, and use were criteria evaluated. The results confirm the flashlight test allows the firefighter to effectively evaluate trim reflectance on their turnout gear according to NFPA 1851. The leakage tests were not replicated by the water penetration tests. Based on the results of this study, the advanced visual inspection and light evaluation confirm the recommended retirement age of a garment that was at least ten years from manufacture date.

The rapid disposal of products has detrimental effects on environment which is increasing resource consumption for the production of new products, along with the waste production. Therefore, designing long lasting products has great importance for achieving sustainable consumption and production. The present study analyzes the implications of an approach called post-use design thinking for achieving sustainable consumption and production through product longevity. To explore that approach, two educational industrial design projects are analyzed throughout the study. The results suggest that post-use design thinking should be considered at the early stages of the design process. The idea generation exercises developed specifically for this design thinking seem to be helpful in generating design solutions for post-use phase. The results also indicate that the post-use design thinking is feasible in terms of design and production for glass packaging products, which is the specific case analyzed throughout the research.

Este estudo propõe a análise de paradigmas que se contextualizam a partir dos limites dos conceitos tradicionais de design industrial. O objetivo é situar formas alternativas de design, abrindo uma reflexão sobre o seu significado e suas contribuições no que se refere a questões socioeconômicas e ambientais. O termo gambiarra - visto como uma \"técnica\" ou procedimento alternativo - é escolhido aqui para representar essas diversas práticas usadas parar configurar artefatos improvisados, porém relacionando-as à realidade brasileira. Esta idéia, quando vinculada a conceitos e proposições no que concerne ao design, provoca uma série de reflexões e questionamentos em torno da constituição destes artefatos no universo da cultura material brasileira. / This research proposes the overview of the paradigms that comes from the limits of the traditional concepts of industrial design. The objective is to study alternative types of design, introducing reflections about the meaning and their contributions to social and environment subjects. Gambiarra, a Brazilian original term, usually translated to the expression ?make do?, and seen as an alternative procedure, is used to represent those practices that provide improved artifacts, however relating them to the Brazilian reality. This idea, when related to propositions and concepts of design, contributes with a range of reflections about the constitution of these artifacts on the universe of the Brazilian material culture.

Este estudo propõe a análise de paradigmas que se contextualizam a partir dos limites dos conceitos tradicionais de design industrial. O objetivo é situar formas alternativas de design, abrindo uma reflexão sobre o seu significado e suas contribuições no que se refere a questões socioeconômicas e ambientais. O termo gambiarra - visto como uma \"técnica\" ou procedimento alternativo - é escolhido aqui para representar essas diversas práticas usadas parar configurar artefatos improvisados, porém relacionando-as à realidade brasileira. Esta idéia, quando vinculada a conceitos e proposições no que concerne ao design, provoca uma série de reflexões e questionamentos em torno da constituição destes artefatos no universo da cultura material brasileira. / This research proposes the overview of the paradigms that comes from the limits of the traditional concepts of industrial design. The objective is to study alternative types of design, introducing reflections about the meaning and their contributions to social and environment subjects. Gambiarra, a Brazilian original term, usually translated to the expression ?make do?, and seen as an alternative procedure, is used to represent those practices that provide improved artifacts, however relating them to the Brazilian reality. This idea, when related to propositions and concepts of design, contributes with a range of reflections about the constitution of these artifacts on the universe of the Brazilian material culture.