A Masters Thesis by Zai Thakoor

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Thesis Focus

This thesis investigates the relationship between people and their things…but at the end of that relationship. The design of products overwhelmingly focuses on acquisition and use. But what happens when something breaks, wears out, or no longer serves its purpose? This neglected phase—the “end-of-use”—fosters guilt, apathy, and premature disposal. What are the says that design can make a difference?

Endings hold untapped potential. When we embrace repair, we catalyze resilience, turning loss into renewal. Products are no longer disposable; they are stories waiting to be continued. This shift is urgent. As consumerism spreads globally, repair cultures risk erasure. India, for example, is rapidly adopting convenience-driven systems, replacing age-old repair practices with disposability. We cannot afford to lose these traditions. They hold the wisdom we need to navigate a future increasingly burdened by waste.

About Me

Zai Thakoor is a visual designer from Mumbai with a graduate degree in graphic design from MIT Institute of Design in Pune, India. Her passion for brand strategy led her to Anomaly Brands, where she worked as a designer, creating multilingual narratives for food retail and hospitality entities. She continues to work as a part of the Womxn’s Mobility Project which seeks to amplify the realities of non-binary, trans, and womxn in online and urban public spaces throughout India.

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