Sustainable Processes and Planned Obsolescence in the Textile and Clothing Sector in Portugal

Planned obsolescence emerged as a way to overcome the challenges of producing durable goods and increase the profitability of companies. Recognizing the environmental and social impacts, some companies have adopted different strategies of planned obsolescence (quality, psychological, technological, economic, ecological). This study aims to understand whether companies in the textile and clothing sector in Portugal are implementing quality and psychological obsolescence strategies to be competitive in the fashion market. To this end, a qualitative methodological approach was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with managers from six companies in Portugal’s textile and clothing sector, to determine whether strategies of quality or psychological obsolescence are being practiced. The results indicate that quality planned obsolescence strategies were not used by the companies. However, all of them use psychological obsolescence to a limited degree and are mainly related to customer relationship management strategies.