ideally no manufacturer should use an excess of raw materials in the production of a good if the same good could be made with fewer raw materials and thus at a lower cost vet instances abound of products which are designed in a manner where replacement is intrinsic to the product for example disposable razors or cigarette lighters the sustainable use of resources must be considered during all the stages of a product s lifecycle in its design its manufacture its usage and even at the end of its life where the possibility of reusing or recovering scarce materials used in its production becomes a distinct and often profitable issue resource efficiency is only possible if consumers individuals and institutional buyers alike demand sustainable products