Absolute sustainability in product design and development: A holistic framework integrating environmental, social, economic and functional performance

This study proposes a new paradigm in sustainable product design and development by integrating absolute sustainability, moving beyond relative improvements to achieving absolute thresholds. Research often focuses on relative gains or frames absolute sustainability solely in environmental terms, overlooking interaction with social sustainability, economic viability, and functional performance. Previous studies identified a major gap in frameworks to support the shift of manufacturers to absolute approaches. To address these gaps, this study presents the Design4AS Framework (Product Design and Development for Absolute Sustainability Framework), a holistic framework to integrate absolute sustainability into product design and development. It establishes quantifiable thresholds, framing environmental sustainability within the biophysical limits of the planet while balancing social, economic, and functional performance. For setting social targets, a novel approach is introduced to ensure basic human needs compliance at the product level. The framework is validated within an industrial context, highlighting opportunities and challenges. Its application reveals relevance, though complex product categories may face challenges due to data requirements. Findings show that while internal factors like company resources are relevant, external conditions like supply chain dynamics, business models, consumer behaviour or policy are crucial for absolute sustainability. Navigating trade-offs is key, as environmental thresholds vary with sharing principles, and social targets require data availability. This framework supports absolute sustainability in manufacturing. • Introduces a new framework to integrate absolute sustainability in product design and development. • Balances environmental, social, economic and functional performance within the product system. • Defines quantifiable targets for environmental and social sustainability. • Validates the applicability of the framework in a manufacturing system.