Synchronic object relating, product attachment, and a design toolkit to extend product longevity

The rapid turnover of consumer goods has led to significant environmental and social challenges that business can no longer afford to overlook. Drawing on observational data from 20 home visits and 28 in-depth interviews with consumers who maintained long-term, meaningful connections with their favorite products, we present the concept of Synchronic Object Relating (SOR) and associated implications for cleaner production including product design to create objects that endure. SOR refers to how consumers naturally and fluidly respond to a product's signals to the self. We identify three critical modes of SOR: accentuating the object's qualities, being attentive to its presence, and engaging in rhythmic interaction. We also reveal that SOR relies on the capacity of objects to embody, unfold, and present and the consumer's capacity to invest personal time, appreciate the object's significance and align identity-related goals with the emotional impact of their objects. These insights extend to an innovative design-led toolkit aimed at creating objects that foster lasting emotional bonds with consumers and promote cleaner production.