Our activities
What we do
Research, tools, education and partnerships in one organisation. All outputs are public, methodology open, and results cannot be bought.
Research & data
OngoingAcademically grounded research on planned, technical and functional obsolescence of consumer goods. We publish methodology, data and findings openly — no sponsors, no paid rankings.
- Expert studies on product lifespan in the Czech market
- Repairability and total-cost-of-ownership datasets
- Policy briefs for regulators and public authorities
- Academic publications in cooperation with Silesian University
Digital tools
1 live toolPractical digital tools for consumers. They help find the best secondhand deal, compare product repairability, and select items with proven long-term quality.
- Secondhand Deal Finder — live, Bazoš + Sbazar + Vinted
- Repairability Index — in preparation (Q3 2025)
- Recommended products database — planned
Education & outreach
PlannedLectures, webinars and workshops for consumers, students and public authorities. Educational materials on planned obsolescence, EU legislation and the true cost of product ownership.
- Workshops for libraries, schools and municipalities
- Webinars for companies on EU regulation (ESPR, Right to Repair)
- Free guides: how to read an energy label, how to compare TCO
Consulting & pilots
OpenResearch commissions and pilot projects for companies, municipalities and regions. Every project has a research framework, methodology and deliverable that can be cited in grant applications and annual reports.
- Portfolio analysis from a lifespan and repairability perspective
- Regional repairability map for municipalities
- Criteria for responsible public procurement
- Citable expert commentary for ESG reporting
Product comparison
Phase 2The first Czech product database rated exclusively on proven lifespan, repairability and total cost of ownership. No paid rankings, no commercial bias.
- Database of 200+ products across key categories
- Ratings under the standardised Durability Institute methodology
- Free public access; B2B API export planned
International cooperation
ActiveWe are building a European consortium of research organisations focused on repairability, secondhand markets and ecodesign. Goal: a joint Erasmus+ KA2 project in 2025/2026.
- Creative Spark CLG (Ireland) — repair cafés, RE-POWER project
- Buinho Associação (Portugal) — FabLab and Right-to-Repair network
- Hochschule Hof (Germany) — VET repairability for appliances
- CLUTEX (Czech Republic) — ecodesign in the textile industry
Research context
Why the research gap exists
Planned obsolescence appears in only 5 of more than 28,000 EU-funded projects — none of them offers a systematic, independent measurement of product lifespan in Central Europe. This absence confirms that a methodology for rating product durability in the region does not yet exist, creating a space that Durability Institute is systematically filling through its own research and data tools.
Interested in collaborating in any of these areas?
We are happy to meet and explore where our interests overlap. We respond within 3 working days.
Get in touch