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# Product Lifecycle

> The sequence of stages a product passes through, from raw material extraction and manufacture to distribution, use, repair and end of life treatment.

## Definition

The consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw material acquisition through
manufacture, distribution, use and maintenance, to reuse, recycling or final disposal.

## Expanded Explanation

The term is used in two distinct senses and the difference matters. In environmental assessment,
following ISO 14040, the lifecycle is the physical chain of stages used to quantify impacts. In
product management it often refers to commercial phases such as introduction, growth and
discontinuation. Passport work uses the first sense.

A passport is bound to the physical lifecycle rather than the commercial one. Obligations typically
continue for a defined period after the product is placed on the market, which means passport data
must survive product discontinuation, catalogue changes and system migrations. A product that is no
longer sold may still be in service and still needs a working passport.

Different lifecycle stages also demand different data. Manufacture contributes composition and
conformity evidence, distribution contributes batch and location events, use contributes repair and
service history, and end of life consumes disassembly and substance information.

## Why It Matters

Data retention is the usual failure point. Product records are commonly archived or deleted when an
item is discontinued, which is exactly when passport availability obligations may still apply.
Retention rules must be set from the legal lifetime, not from the commercial one.

## Common Misconceptions

#### The lifecycle ends at the point of sale

For passport purposes the most demanding stages come after the sale, when repairers, recyclers and
authorities need information the seller no longer actively maintains.

## Related Terms

* [Circular Economy](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/circular-economy)
* [Sustainability Data](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/sustainability-data)
* [Product Data](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-data)
* [Product Traceability](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-traceability)

## Related Knowledge Base Articles

* [What Is a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/what-is-a-digital-product-passport)
* [Who Needs a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/who-needs-a-digital-product-passport)

## Related Articles

* [Circular Economy](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/circular-economy)
* [Sustainability Data](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/sustainability-data)
* [Authoritative Source](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/authoritative-source)
* [Data Architecture](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/data-architecture)
* [Golden Record](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/golden-record)
* [Product Data](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-data)
* [Product Data Governance](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/data-governance)
* [Product Data Quality](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/data-quality)

## See Also

* [Implementation](/docs/knowledge-base/implementation/overview)
* [Governance & Assurance](/docs/knowledge-base/compliance-frameworks/overview)

## References

* ISO 14040, environmental management, life cycle assessment, principles and framework:
  [https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html](https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html)
* ISO 14044, life cycle assessment, requirements and guidelines:
  [https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html](https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html)
* Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, Official Journal of the European Union:
  [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj)

## About This Article

About This Article

<dl>
  <dt>
    Last Reviewed
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2026-08-07
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Next Scheduled Review
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2027-08-07
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Article Version
  </dt>

  <dd>
    1.0
  </dd>
</dl>

tieback Knowledge is a continuously maintained reference library covering Digital Product
Passports, product traceability, product compliance and related regulations. Articles are
reviewed regularly as legislation, standards and implementation guidance evolve.

## Related Docs

* [Implementation](/docs/knowledge-base/implementation/overview)
* [Governance & Assurance](/docs/knowledge-base/compliance-frameworks/overview)
* [Digital Product Passports](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/overview)
* [Glossary](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/overview)