Bang & Olufsen, the high-end consumer electronics company, expressed its commitment to cut down on e-waste by presenting its sustainability exhibition at the Milan Design Week 2021.

The Danish electronics brand unveiled its approach to modular design in electronic devices, including service, repair, and upgrade programs. This will allow people a lifetime of music with the items they particularly love.

Bang & Olufsen
Nous Communications

To start, Bang & Olufsen began applying their innovative modular design principles in the development of the Beosound Level Home Speaker - with the model achieving Cradle to Cradle Certification. This makes the Beosound the first audio product in the entire consumer electronics market to receive this sustainability recognition.

Their sustainability exhibition ends with Bang & Olufsen sharing its vision of product connectivity, making its point with a demonstration of powerful Beolab 28 speakers from 2021. This empowers the entire music system to stay relevant for a long period of time.

This new product line follows the Bang and Olufsen Classics division, which began last year. The Classics division was an initiative that saw pre-owned models, like the Beogram 4000 Series turntable for example, given an upgrade with the latest technology - giving the old products a new makeover in a unique and innovative celebration of the Bang and Olufsen heritage and its timeless design.

"We are proud of how far we have come in fighting technology obsolescence, but we are only at the beginning of the journey," explains Mads Kogsgaard Hansen, who spearheads Bang & Olufsen's product circularity and recreating the Classic initiative. He adds that at the heart of the Bang & Olufsen product strategy is the intent to provide real solutions on how to reverse the ongoing trend of "decreasing product lifecycle duration," reduction of e-waste, and transforming the electronics industry in a positive way.

Kogsgaard Hansen adds that it is not just about finding technological ways to make devices last longer, it's the partnership with the consumers that create longevity for the product. He recognizes that for the brand to succeed, it has to work with "emotional durability" in its design processes through customization, adaptability, and upgradeability.

The Danish Installation hosted at the Museo Nazionale Scienzae Tecnologia in Milan is open to the public audience up until September 12, from 10 AM to 8 PM local time.