Today, our approach to each item has also changed. In the era of rapid consumption We’re not even surprised if a product breaks after days, right?

For 123 years the unlit lamp The reason is not so much its durability, but the strategy of ‘planned obsolescence’ that we experience today and that makes it more valuable than others.

“Planned obsolescence” began with the spread of the 1929 economic crisis.

Thomas EdisonWhen he invented the light bulb in 1880, he designed a lifespan of about 1,500 hours. However, just 15 years later, the Shelby company managed to further extend the life of the lamp. This situation lasted until 1924, when the world’s largest lamp manufacturers came together and decided to limit lamp life to 1,000 hours.

Following this decision, fines were imposed on producers who exceeded this limit. This long lasting lampIt was the Shelby company’s last production in 1895 and is a prime example of the role of planned obsolescence in the economic system.

To stimulate the economy and reduce employment problems, the state proposed making this strategy legally mandatory in 1929, but this was not realized.

Companies had already adopted this method and were able to continue the economic cycle by shortening the lifespan of products with a silent consumption strategy. Planned obsolescence is not limited to the production of light bulbs. In the 1940s, with the invention of nylon, this strategy emerged in the textile and fashion sector also started implementing it.

Nylon stockings were so durable that these products were in high demand among women. However DuPont CompanyWith the saturation of the market, the practice of wear and tear by introducing less durable socks began. This emerged as a strategy to increase consumption by reducing quality and sustainability.

This strategy manifests itself in every area.

Nowadays, electronic devices, mobile phones, textile products and also a victim of this strategy. This strategy, thought to be a necessity for the economy, is in reality an anti-consumer practice. Experts emphasize that this is not a sustainable economic model.

Created by planned obsolescence waste Negative impacts such as environmental protection and pollution risk usurping the rights of future generations. Sustainable consumption must be achieved by protecting resources for future generations; while planned obsolescence does not serve this purpose.

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