Developing a Ranking System for a Product’s Fitness in the Circular Economy - A Case Study in Modular Ski Poles

As the importance of designing sustainable products grows, the importance of developing in tandem with the Circular Economy also grows. This paper presents and demonstrates a multi criteria decision making method of ranking products in their fitness for the circular economy. This methodology uses an analytical hierarchy process and pairwise comparison matrices to evaluate the criteria and scores assigned to each. In doing so, this process compels the designer to evaluate their systems based on four major factors: repairability, reusability, recyclability, and sustainability. The method was applied to a case study of ski poles comparing a new design for the circular economy with three existing ski pole systems. It proved that if a system is designed with these factors from the beginning, it will better fit into the circular economy. The CE realizes benefits for the consumers, the company, and the environment.