Use Acceptance of Experimental Products Using Recycled Materials at Different Use Distances: A Scoping Review

The utilization of recycled materials in experimental product design has gained increasing importance in recent years due to heightened environmental concerns and the pursuit of sustainable development. Recycled products are not only made by recycling materials but also by taking discarded or abandoned waste treated by simple physical processes and reusing them to create new products. Many independent designers and small-scale labs focus on designing recycled products from such discarded materials. As recycled products increasingly enter intimate and high-frequency touch contexts, psychological factors such as hygiene concerns, perceived risks, disgust, and trust change, especially in the absence of regulation and compliance pressures. This scoping review synthesizes data from 12 articles using evidence matrices and heatmaps to reveal directional effects and proof density. The scoping review aims to (1) analyze the acceptance outcomes associated with varying degrees of use distance; (2) map the distribution of existing experimental evidence across recycled materials to identify remaining quality gaps; and (3) propose evidence-based recommendations to enhance the future use acceptance of experimental recycled products. Findings highlight significant research gaps and emphasize the importance of considering use distance and psychological barriers in the design and promotion of experimental sustainable products. These insights are intended to support scholars and designers in advancing sustainable product innovation.