Kirsi Laitala

About

Kirsi Laitala is a senior researcher at the department for Technology and Sustainability at the Consumption Research Norway (SIFO), where she has been working with textiles and clothing research since 2001. She gained her MSc degree in textile, clothing and fiber engineering from Tampere University of Technology in 2001, and completed a PhD at the Department of Product Design at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2014. Laitala has researched and published on areas related to clothing quality, maintenance, safety, environmental issues, design, as well as fit and size issues, including reports for industry as well as scientific journal articles. Her current research interest lies within sustainable clothing consumption. She uses interdisciplinary research methods that often combine technical laboratory based tests with consumer studies, as well as qualitative and quantitative methods.

Fields of study

Academic disciplines

Other subjects within materials science Industrial and product design

Subject areas

Environment Clothing Textile Consumer behaviour Sustainable consumption Clothing consumption Tekstiler Textile wash Laundry

Research groups

Technology and Sustainability

Research projects

CHANGE: Environmental systems shift in clothing consumption
In CHANGE, we will investigate what is most essential to reduce the environmental impact of clothing: reduce the amount of clothing that is produced, acquired and disposed of.
Direct and Indirect Costs of Disabilities in Children (BUDGET)
The research project addresses the costs aspects of caring for a child with a disability.
LASTING: Sustainable prosperity through product durability
How can the lifespans of consumer goods be increased?
Practices and policies of belonging among minority and majority children of low-income families (BELONG)
This project seeks to increase current knowledge of the practices causing marginalization and social exclusion of minority and majority children of low-income families.
Wasted Textiles
The primary objective of this project is to reduce the use of synthetic textiles and the amount that goes to waste.
WOOLUME: Polish sheep wool for improved resource utilisation and value creation

Scientific publications

Maldini, Irene; Samira, Iran; Laitala, Kirsi; Vittersø, Gunnar; Jestratijevic, Iva; Mirena, Amaral; Vladimirova, Katia (2021). Dress and the city: a comparative study of clothing and textiles environmental policy in five European cities. Schnitzer, Hans; Braune, Sibylle (Ed.). Proceedings of the 20th European Roundtable in Sustainable Consumption and Production. 178. p. 363-384. Verlag der Technischen Universität Graz.
https://www.tugraz-verlag.at/gesamtverzeichnis/unk...

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad (2021). Global differences in consumer practices affect clothing lifespans. Nissen, Nils F.; Jaeger-Erben, Melanie (Ed.). PLATE – Product Lifetimes And The Environment Proceedings 3rd PLATE CONFERENCE, BERLIN, GERMANY 18–20 September 2019. 463. p. 463-468. Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin.
https://depositonce.tu-berlin.de/handle/11303/1029...

Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Haugrønning, Vilde (2021). Wardrobe Sizes and Clothing Lifespans. Nissen, Nils F.; Jaeger-Erben, Melanie (Ed.). PLATE – Product Lifetimes And The Environment Proceedings 3rd PLATE CONFERENCE, BERLIN, GERMANY 18–20 September 2019. Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin.

Wiedemann, Stephen G.; Biggs, Leo; Nguyen, Quan V.; Clarke, simon J.; Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad (2021). Reducing environmental impacts from garments through best practice garment use and care, using the example of a Merino wool sweater. 10 p. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment .
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11367...

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Haugrønning, Vilde; Throne-Holst, Harald; Strandbakken, Pål (2020). Increasing repair of household appliances, mobile phones and clothing: Experiences from consumers and the repair industry. Journal of Cleaner Production . Vol. 282.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad (2020). What Affects Garment Lifespans? International Clothing Practices Based on a Wardrobe Survey in China, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA. Sustainability . Vol. 12.
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/9151

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Kettlewell, Roy; Wiedemann, Stephen (2020). Laundry Care Regimes: Do the Practices of Keeping Clothes Clean Have Different Environmental Impacts Based on the Fibre Content?. 31 p. Sustainability . Vol. 12.
https://uni.oslomet.no/lasting/

Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Wiedemann, Stephen G. (2020). Clothing Lifespans: What Should Be Measured and How. 21 p. Sustainability . Vol. 12.
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/15/6219

Wiedemann, Stephen G.; Biggs, Leo; Nebel, Barbara; Bauch, Katarina; Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Swan, Paul G.; Watson, Kalinda (2020). Environmental impacts associated with the production, use, and end-of-life of a woollen garment. 14 p. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment .
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01766-0

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Haugrønning, Vilde Anine Rydal; Throne-Holst, Harald; Strandbakken, Pål (2019). Is It Worth It? Repair of Household Appliance, Mobile Phones and Clothing. Segalàs, Jordi; Lazzarini, Boris (Ed.). Proceedings of the 19th European Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production Circular Europe for Sustainability: Design, Production and Consumption. 1003. p. 1003-1016.

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These publications are obtained from Cristin. The list may be incomplete

Research reports

Heidenstrøm, Nina; Strandbakken, Pål; Haugrønning, Vilde; Laitala, Kirsi (2021). Product lifetime in European and Norwegian policies. 142 p.

Vittersø, Gunnar; Hebrok, Marie; Heidenstrøm, Nina; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Tangeland, Torvald; Throne-Holst, Harald; Torjusen, Hanne (2021). Bærekraftig koronaliv. 30 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/6528

Tangeland, Torvald; Heidenstrøm, Nina; Haugrønning, Vilde; Throne-Holst, Harald; Hebrok, Marie; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Steinnes, Kamilla Knutsen (2020). Virkemidler for forbruksendringer – med utgangspunkt i tiltak fra Klimakur 2030. 156 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/6496

Roos, Gun; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Haugrønning, Vilde; Bugge, Annechen Bahr; Skuland, Silje Elisabeth; Steinnes, Kamilla Knutsen; Teigen, Helene Maria Fiane (2020). Barn og unges forbruk: klær, mat og kropp. ISBN: 978-82-7063-516-0. 180 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/6458

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad (2020). Klær og miljø:Innkjøp, gjenbruk og vask. ISBN: 978-82-7063-504-7. 50 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/3065

Bugge, Annechen Bahr; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Borch, Anita; Schjøll, Alexander; Laitala, Kirsi; Haugrønning, Vilde Anine Rydal (2019). Jul – pynt, gaver, klær og mat. ISBN: 978-82-7063-498-9. 133 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/2928

Haugrønning, Vilde Anine Rydal; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Strandbakken, Pål; Laitala, Kirsi; Throne-Holst, Harald (2019). Leve av å reparere? En studie av økonomien i reparasjonsbransjen for klær og hvitevarer. ISBN: 978-82-7063-491-0. 94 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/2878

Vittersø, Gunnar; Torjusen, Hanne; Laitala, Kirsi; arfini, Filippo; Biasini, Beatrice; Coppola, E.; Csillag, P.; Donati, M; De Labarre, Matthieu; Gentili, R; Gorton, Matthew; Lecoeur, J.L.; Lucini, A.; Maj, A.; Majewski, E.; Malak-Rawlikowska, A.; Mancini, M.C.; Menozzi, Davide; Tocco, Barbara; Torok, Aaron; Veneziani, M. (2018). Qualitative assessment of motivations, practices and organisational development of short food supply chains. 155 p.

Roos, Gun; Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Austgulen, Marthe Hårvik; Borgeraas, Elling Martin (2018). Kartlegging av ekstrautgifter. Utgifter til mat for personer med cøliaki og andre diagnosegrupper og til klær og sko for personer med sykdommer eller lidelser som fører til ekstraordinær slitasje på klær eller sengetøy. ISBN: 82-7063-473-5. 66 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/5359

Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Tangeland, Torvald; Throne-Holst, Harald; Vittersø, Gunnar; Hebrok, Marie Cathrine; Heidenstrøm, Nina; Torjusen, Hanne (2018). Forbruk og det grønne skiftet. Kunnskapsoppsummeringer forbrukerpolitikk 2018. 17 p.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/5982

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These publications are obtained from Cristin. The list may be incomplete

Dissemination

Laitala, Kirsi (2021). The role of product longevity in environmental sustainability criteria. European Round Table on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP). Graz University of Technology.
https://lasting.world/

Laitala, Kirsi; Klepp, Ingun Grimstad (2021). Clothing longevity: The relationship between the number of users, how long and how many times garments are used. PLATE Product Lifetimes and The Environment Conference. University of Limerick.

Laitala, Kirsi (2021). Handlevaner, fritidsaktiviteter og klesbruk under korona. Webinar: Bærekraftig koronaliv. Forbruksforskningsinstituttet SIFO, OsloMet.
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12199/6528

Madshus, Karin; Laitala, Kirsi (2021). Lyspærene hadde glødetid på 25 000 timer. Hva skjedde?.
https://www.vi.no/forbruker/lyspaerene-hadde-glode...

Laitala, Kirsi; Lassen, Kjersti (2020). Ønsker bedre produkter med lengre levetid.
https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsnyheter...

Hammerstad, Bjørn Olav; Laitala, Kirsi (2020). Strikketrend tar av blant unge.

Austgulen, Marthe Hårvik; Laitala, Kirsi; Alecu, Andreea Ioana (2020). WP 2: Direkte kostnader forbundet med å ha omsorg for barn med nedsatt funsjonsevne. Kick-off for NFR-prosjektet "Direct and indirect costs of disabilities in children (BUDGET)". OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Hebrok, Marie; Heidenstrøm, Nina; Strandbakken, Pål; Jacobsen, Eivind (2020). Feedback on EU initiative: Environmental performance of products & businesses – substantiating claims.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/ha...

Klepp, Ingun Grimstad; Laitala, Kirsi; Heidenstrøm, Nina; Hebrok, Marie; Strandbakken, Pål; Jacobsen, Eivind (2020). Feedback on EU initiative: Consumer policy – strengthening the role of consumers in the green transition.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/ha...

Aspeli, Ingeborg; Laitala, Kirsi (2020). Studie: Slik bør du vaske klærne dine.
https://www.minmote.no/#!/artikkel/24777305/studie...

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These publications are obtained from Cristin. The list may be incomplete