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This collection features a selection of inspiring examples of the circular economy, compiled in the context of the Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains programme (SWITCH).

Launched in 2020, SWITCH is a five-year initiative that assists EU multinational companies and their suppliers from developing countries to switch to more circular economy approaches and practices in three selected value chains: [Plastic Packaging](https://knowledge-hub.circle-lab.com/switchtocircular/search?collections=832%3D0&framework_elements__5=111), [Textile & Garments](https://knowledge-hub.circle-lab.com/switchtocircular/search?collections=832%3D0&framework_elements__5=99), and ICT and Electronics.

The overall objective of SWITCH is to support the “transformation towards a circular economy”, and to contribute to sustainable growth, low carbon and climate resilient development, decent jobs creation, and a safer, healthier and pollution-free environment.

SWITCH is co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Finland, and implemented by UNIDO, in collaboration with Chatham House, Circle Economy, and the European Investment Bank.
Learn more at www.switchtocircular.eu

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Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains

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Business case

Impact on the ease of innovation, and facilitating uptake of innovations

Innovation

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

Producing textile and leather products and processing them into apparel and accessories

Fashion and Textiles

Producing basic and specialty chemicals, inks, agricultural chemical such as fertilisers and pesticides, plastics including packaging, and rubber

Chemical and Plastic

Using bio-based materials such as bioplastics, mushroom-based materials, etc.

Alternative bio-based materials and inputs

Enacting measures that optimise water use

Water efficiency

Transforming waste products, materials for reuse within other industries

Open loop upcycling

Impacts

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Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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With persistent product and process developments, these fluctuations have been considerably reduced, which is already reflected in the rapid growth of the portfolio of recycled plastic packaging. In addition, the attitude of both consumers and brand owners towards the use of recycled materials, and the appearance of the properties of these materials in end products, has changed in a clearly positive direction over the last couple of years. Now it is ok and even sought after that the environmental raw material choices can be visually seen and felt in the surface of the packaging. In order to increase the efficiency of its internal plastic recycling and to promote the wider use of recycled plastics in various flexible packaging solutions, Amerplast has invested in EREMA’s Intarema 1108 TE recycling equipment, which represents the latest technology. The investment is part of the company’s sustainability strategy and the equipment will be installed at Amerplast’s Tampere plant during the summer of 2020. Sami Teräs considers the new investment to be significant: “With the new equipment, the quality level of recycling will increase and thus enable the use of recycled material in even more demanding applications.” Demand for recycled plastic products and packaging is growing, which in turn means growing demand for recycled raw materials. In order for supply to continue to meet demand, care must be taken to ensure that the process of separate collection and further processing of plastic packaging into recycled plastic raw material is efficient and effective. In addition, a prerequisite for efficient recycling of plastics is that the plastic packaging are designed and manufactured to be recyclable in the existing recycling streams. If you are eager to know how recycled plastic could be utilised in your company’s packaging, or how you can ensure the recyclability of your packaging, please contact our sales team.


South Korea

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Hyosung is a comprehensive fiber manufacturer which produces the majority of leading world-class products such as ‘creora, aerocool and askin’ throughout the fiber industry.

Hyosung TNC

<p>South Korea-based chemical company Hyosung TNC has succeeded in extracting spandex from corn and commercialising the world’s first bio-based spandex.</p>