Rationale and Contextualisation

OPNIEUW! is a Friesland-based circular enterprise dedicated to redefining circular business practices through material reuse and social inclusion. Operating in Buitenpost, the company transforms discarded furniture into high-quality, repurposed pieces while providing meaningful employment opportunities. At the heart of its approach is the triple helix - a collaboration between business, knowledge institutions, and government-to drive systemic change towards circularity. Friesland's strong community-oriented culture and established networks have fostered an environment where circular and social entrepreneurship can thrive. OPNIEUW! serves as a blueprint for how localised, value-driven business models can be scaled and replicated across industries and regions.

History and Reason for Creation

OPNIEUW! emerged from a strong foundation in entrepreneurship, combined with a commitment to people and the planet, and a desire to approach business differently. The company was established following the founder’s recognition as a finalist for the ‘Ondernemingsprijs Friesland’—a moment that prompted a reassessment of business priorities and a shift towards greater impact. Today, that same drive for meaningful change continues to shape OPNIEUW!’s business model and operations, aligning with a purposeful economy that balances social, ecological, and economic goals.

From the very beginning, the company was built around people, starting with a single employee and growing to a team of over 60 people. Today, it stands as a market leader in furniture reuse. OPNIEUW! exemplifies the Frisian Approach in a business context, demonstrating how trust and collaboration are key to success- not only for achieving shared goals in the circular economy, but also financially.

The company offers a blueprint for circular entrepreneurship that can be applied across various sectors, furthering the transition toward a circular economy.

Aim, Structure, and Governance

The primary goal of OPNIEUW! is to advance a circular economy by eliminating reliance on new raw materials and ensuring all materials are repurposed effectively. This mission is supported by a governance structure that prioritises social inclusion, environmental impact, and economic viability in equal measure, recognising that these goals can be achieved simultaneously.

A defining feature of OPNIEUW!’s structure is its holistic employment model, which prioritises individuals distanced from the labour market. Through an open hiring approach, employees without formal education receive in-house training in woodworking, upholstery, metalworking, and assembly. The leadership team actively cultivates a work environment and a unique working culture based on positivity, communication, and trust to ensure both skilled and unskilled workers feel valued. This once more perfectly showcases the success of the Frisian approach which hinges on trust, collaboration, learning by doing, and a combination of top down and bottom up methods to achieving common goals.

The leadership team fosters a work environment and unique culture rooted in positivity, open communication, and trust, ensuring that both skilled and unskilled workers feel valued. This once again exemplifies the strengths of the Frisian approach, which is built on trust, collaboration, learning by doing, and a balanced mix of top-down and bottom-up strategies to achieve shared goals.

Projects and way of working

OPNIEUW! Has recently secured a Dutch Ministry of Defence Tender with a multi-year contract to supply refurbished furniture, illustrating the viability of large-scale circular procurement. Winning the Dutch Ministry of Defence tender for furniture supply over the next 6 to 8 years solidifies OPNIEUW!’s role in the sector. The founder’s strong personal values, rooted in a belief that business should empower individuals and communities, shaped the company's people-first culture.

The company has also completed circular design projects for the Hillegom Water Tower and the Copijn Building, further showcasing its expertise in circular furniture. OPNIEUW! engages clients as suppliers, collecting and repurposing their materials to minimize the need for virgin inputs.

A key operational challenge is ensuring a steady supply of second-hand materials. OPNIEUW! addresses this by leveraging its extensive warehouse (housing 60,000 chairs) and forming partnerships with external suppliers, ensuring material consistency and availability.

Regional Significance and Uniqueness

Friesland provides a unique ecosystem for circular businesses due to its strong local networks and commitment to sustainability. OPNIEUW! has benefited from its collaboration with Circular Friesland, a regional platform connecting businesses, government agencies, and research institutions. Friesland’s emphasis on community-driven business models supports the idea that sustainability must be inclusive and socially embedded. OPNIEUW! exemplifies how a socially driven and inclusive business model can thrive, showing that practices that benefit the planet and people are not only compatible with business success, but can actually be key to achieving it.

The triple helix framework—where business, knowledge institutions, and government co-create solutions—has been instrumental in OPNIEUW!’s success. Government support through circular procurement policies has shifted demand, while collaborations with TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) on tools to track success have further enabled the success of many projects. This highlights how collaboration among various stakeholders is essential to advancing circular business models and facilitating the broader transition to a circular economy.

Outcomes and Impact

OPNIEUW! has made significant strides in quantifying its environmental and social contributions with reductions in CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and virgin material use. The company measures this through a self-created algorithm verified by TNO The measurement tool developed in collaboration with TNO provides clients with customised reports detailing the circular and social benefits of their projects, ensuring transparency and accountability.

The impact extends beyond the environment to people, particularly through employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers to traditional labor markets. This approach illustrates how providing opportunities can lead to a strong, motivated workforce that is eager to contribute to your company’s success. A further unexpected and unintentional outcome was the creation of a replicable business model demonstrating that circular and social impact businesses can be both scalable and profitable.

Conclusion

OPNIEUW! exemplifies how circular business can integrate environmental and social impact without compromising economic success. The Frisian model- characterised by strong regional collaboration and the triple helix approach- has played a crucial role in fostering its growth. As circular economy principles gain traction, businesses like OPNIEUW! can serve as blueprints for future enterprises seeking to embed sustainability at their core. The next steps involve scaling the model, expanding partnerships, and deepening government engagement to accelerate the transition to a fully circular economy.