The game also features item decay. You'll need the resources that were used in the manufacturing of the item in order to repair it. You'll also need a repair kit, which you can build yourself or buy from another player. If you have a great item that you don't want to use anymore but hate to see decay, you can use one of the game's polish kits. These kits freeze an item in its current state putting a stop to all decay. The catch is that you won't ever be able to use the item again. It's really more of a feature for creating trophies and souvenirs of items you no longer need and don't want to sell.
Even when you sell an item, your relationship with it doesn't end. You'll gain a bit of experience every time the item is used. Once someone eats your food or stabs a guy with your knife or stops a knife with your armor, you gain a small bit of experience. This is meant to help move items to market and make crafters competitive with combat classes in terms of experience and advancement. The better items weight experience more towards the usage end of the scale to encourage the sale of high-end items.