Appliedused

Appliedused is a neologism that has appeared in discussions surrounding sustainability, product design, and asset management. It fuses the words applied and used to describe a practice in which used goods or materials are given new, functional applications rather than being sold as-is or sent to recycling. Because the term is not standardized, its precise meaning varies by source and context.

In design and operations literature, appliedused often refers to repurposing strategies that maximize utility with minimal remanufacturing. It can describe both the state of an asset that has been repurposed and the process by which organizations identify new uses for existing inventory, components, or structures. The emphasis is on practical application rather than cosmetic remaking.

Examples might include converting retired manufacturing equipment into tools for education, transforming obsolete electronics into modular components for repair ecosystems, or using salvaged materials to create new products. Proponents cite reduced material throughput, extended asset lifetimes, and reduced carbon footprints, while critics warn of ambiguity in scope and the risk of conflating upcycling with simple resale.

The term remains relatively niche and is not widely standardized. It sits alongside related concepts such as repurposing, upcycling, refurbishing, and the circular economy. As usage grows, a clearer definition and standardized taxonomy would help improve communication among engineers, designers, and policymakers.