design+strategies

Product-Service Systems for Furniture: A Literature Review to Redefine the Relationship with Sustainability

DESCRIPTION

The furniture industry represents a significant sector for the Italian and European economies. This sector is currently facing numerous environmental challenges and undergoing a transition toward sustainability. The concept of Product-Service Systems (PSS) offers a potential strategy to address this change by generating sustainable values. This article aims to analyze and present the state of the art in scientific studies on the development of PSS as an approach to achieve sustainability and circularity in the furniture sector. Through a literature review, twenty-three contributions were selected and analyzed, revealing unexplored sources and areas for future studies on the topic, such as national-specific features, cultural dimensions, and stakeholder experiences, including those of users and actors in the value chain. In addition, at present, there is a strong focus on specific product areas and on product-oriented and use-oriented PSS. The findings highlight the potential and necessity of leveraging scientific resources to implement new PSS solutions and generate valuable learning experiences.

CITE THIS ARTICLE

Italia, M., & Pei, X. (2025). Product-Service Systems for Furniture: A Literature Review to Redefine the Relationship with Sustainability. The International Journal of Design Management and Professional Practice, 20(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.18848/2325-162X/CGP/v20i01/1-31