Best bang for your buck? Buy a used shell jacket
If you want good value for money, buy a shell jacket secondhand. Louisa Nilssons has researched the functionality of shell jackets over time and notes that many shell jackets still have a lot left to give when they are discarded by their first user.
"What we have seen is that the price falls faster over time than the functionality, which means that you get a lot for your money if you buy a used shell jacket," says Louisa Nilsson, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on sports technology and additive manufacturing.
Louisa Nilsson has spent months in the materials lab where she has tested the functionality of both used and worn-out shell jackets. She has looked at the garments' waterproofness, water repellency, air permeability and breathability, among other things.
With the goal of reducing consumption
Louisa has also compiled how the functionality changes over time and how the price decreases over time. The purpose of the study is to ultimately reduce consumption.
"We produce and consume too much textile products, which is not sustainable. It has been established that extending the life of textile products is the most effective way to reduce its environmental and climate impact. But in order to do that, we first need to understand how the functionality of the products changes over time and then be able to think about possible measures to maintain as high a level of functionality over as long a period of time as possible.
On 28 November, Louisa Nilsson will hold her licentiate seminar where she will defend her thesis: "Opportunities for Enhancing Durability and Environmental Sustainability in Shell Jackets". The seminar will be held in Q221 at 13.15 and the main supervisor is Professor of Mechanical Engineering Mikael Bäckström.
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