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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

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

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 materials that can be easily reused or recycled after use

Reusable, recyclable materials and inputs

Providing upgrade programmes or upgrade services for products or parts of products

Product upgrade

Extraction and reuse of parts from end-of-life products for use in new products

Part recovery

Transforming waste products, materials for reuse within other industries

Open loop upcycling

Designing products to remove any barriers to recycling and enable easy recyclability

Design for recycling

Working together with stakeholders and parties in other unrelated industries to implement circular economy strategies and opportunities

Cross-industry projects, pilots

Make collected and sorted recyclables available for use by citizens, small businesses up to large scale industrial processes. 

Use recyclables

Solutions at all stages of the textiles value chain.

Zero Waste Textiles

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

 Timberland and Omni United first conceived this partnership three years ago, when sustainability leaders from both brands came together to address a longstanding shared concern. The tire and footwear industries are two of the largest users of virgin rubber. The majority of tires on the market today have a limited life span; ecologically-sound disposal at the end of that life span presents yet another challenge.   As respected innovators in their fields, Timberland and Omni United envisioned – and are now bringing to life – a partnership whereby they are creating a more sustainable lifecycle for rubber. "Our partnership with Omni United marks a new day for the tire and footwear industries," said Stewart Whitney, president of Timberland. "An outdoor lifestyle brand and an automotive industry leader may, at first blush, seem unlikely partners – yet our shared values have given birth to tires that express a lifestyle, deliver performance and safety, and prove that sustainability can be so much more than a theory. It's this kind of cross-industry collaboration that's fueling real change and innovation in the marketplace.""Timberland Tires is the first tire brand to embrace a holistic approach, rather than a more traditional approach based on product attributes alone," said G.S. Sareen, president and CEO of Omni United. "Given the strength of the Timberland® brand, and our target consumer's appreciation for sustainability, we see a huge opportunity to change the way people choose their tires. With Timberland Tires, drivers can be confident that their tires will perform, while also making a statement that expresses their lifestyle and values."Timberland Tires represent a new model in tire innovation: a sustainable, tire-to-shoe lifecycle. Positioned at the premium end of the market, Timberland Tires are designed and created for superior performance and safety on the road. The tires will be made in the U.S. (using both domestic and imported materials) and feature a rubber formulation that is appropriate for the recycling of the tires at the end of their useful life into Timberland® shoes, rather than alternatives such as being used for tire-derived fuel or ending up in landfills."Omni United and Timberland are taking an entirely different view of sustainability by designing Timberland Tires for a second life from the outset. That is one of the reasons why establishing a take-back and recycling program before the first tire is sold - and choosing an appropriate rubber formulation for recycling the tires into footwear - is so critical," said Sareen. "Our intent is to capture every worn Timberland Tire and recycle it for a second life, so none is used as fuel or ends up in a landfill."To bring the tire-to-shoe continuum to life, Timberland and Omni United have established an industry-first tire return/chain of custody process, to ensure the tires go directly to dedicated North American recycling facilities to begin their path toward a second life as part of a Timberland® product. Key steps include: Tire retailers will set aside used Timberland Tires for recycling after consumers purchase new tires to replace their worn out tires. Omni United is partnering with Liberty Tire Recycling and its network of tire collection and recycling firms to sort and segregate the Timberland Tires at the companies' facilities. The used tires will be shipped to a North American tire recycling facility where they will be recycled into crumb rubber.  The crumb rubber will be processed further into sheet rubber for shipment to Timberland outsole manufacturers.    The rubber will be mixed into a Timberland-approved compound for outsoles that will ultimately be incorporated into Timberland® boots and shoes. This blended compound will meet the company's exacting standards for quality and performance, as well as its stringent compliance standards. The Timberland Tires product line provides market coverage in three categories. The Timberland CROSS tire (for small SUVs and crossover vehicles) will be available in April 2015 in 21 sizes, expanding to 35 sizes by September 2015. The Timberland A/T tire (for trucks and large SUVs) will be available in July 2015 in 30 sizes, and the Timberland TOUR tire (for cars) will be launched in 2016 in at least 25 sizes. This will round out the Timberland Tires portfolio, giving it three distinct lines with 90+ sizes covering about 75 percent of the North American passenger vehicle market. Timberland Tires will be sold initially in the United States at leading national and regional tire retailers, as well as online through a state-of-the-art e-commerce platform. With warranties targeting 50,000 to 80,000 miles depending on tire model, Timberland and Omni United anticipate that the first lot of returned Timberland Tires will be ready for recycling in late 2017. Until a critical mass of supply comes in, Timberland and Omni United are seeking alternative recycled rubber compounds for a special collection of Timberland® boots with outsoles inspired by the treads on Timberland Tires. These boots are slated to launch in fall 2016.For more information about Timberland Tires, visit www.timberlandtires.com.About Timberland Timberland, a brand of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), is a global leader in the design, engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in it. Timberland markets products under the Timberland®, Timberland PRO®, and Timberland Boot Company® brands, all of which offer quality workmanship and detailing and are built to withstand the elements of nature. Timberland® products are sold throughout the world in leading department and specialty stores as well as company-owned retail locations and online. Timberland's dedication to making quality products is matched by its commitment to "doing well and doing good" – forging powerful partnerships among employees, consumers and service partners to transform the communities in which they live and work. To learn more about Timberland, please visit www.timberland.com.  About Omni United / Radar Tires Omni United is a tire designer and manufacturer. The company offers a complete range of passenger car, SUV, truck, bus and farms tires marketed under its own brand names: Radar Tires, Birla, Goodride, Roadlux and Speedways. Omni United was founded in 2003 by entrepreneur G.S. Sareen and is headquartered in Singapore. As a reliable business partner with innovative products, unparalleled customer service and logistics solutions, Omni United plays an important role in supplying value-for-money products to consumers in more than 80 countries worldwide. Omni United is proud to have its Radar Tires brand declared Carbon Neutral in 2013. In the United States, the company does business as Omni United USA and currently has products sold in more than 1,000 retail outlets nationwide. Further information on Omni United is available by calling 1-855-906-6646, by emailing info@omni-united.com or visiting http://omni-united.com. For further information about Radar Tires, please visit http://www.radartires.comPhoto - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141103/156193 SOURCE Timberland Related Links http://www.timberland.com 






 
 
At Timberland, we really know about the craft of making premium boots and shoes. After all, we’ve been doing it since 1973. During our long history of creating boots, we’ve always thought about the environmental footprint our company has on the world. That’s why we are committed to use as much recycled, organic and renewable materials as possible in our products.
We first saw our footwear as a great opportunity to incorporate more recycled materials and reduce our environmental footprint.  In 2008, we introduced an innovative recycled outsole made with crumb rubber from discarded truck and car tires.
But we couldn’t guarantee the quality of the recycled rubber as our demand for the material increased. We had to do better. In 2010 we developed a recycled rubber outsole compound made with at least 35% pre-consumer (or post-industrial) recycled latex, reusing materials that would otherwise go into landfills.
But the most sustainable recycled content is made with post-consumer recycled materials so we asked ourselves, “Is it possible to introduce a car tire that is designed and manufactured with a designated second life as an outsole in Timberland shoes and boots in mind?”
In other words, when the tread wears out, can the tire live on in Timberland shoes and boots?

 
Timberland Tires
We forged a partnership with tire manufacturer, Omni United, who could build a line of premium performance passenger vehicle tires that could be recycled into Timberland shoes after their journey on the road was complete. Omni’s quality standards ensure Timberland Tires deliver traction, comfort and handling without compromise. (We also just really loved the idea of eventually making footprints with our recycled tires.)
Timberland tires are the first tires ever purposefully designed to be recycled into footwear outsoles after their journey on the road is complete. The most low-tech, least intrusive way to break down tires and reuse them is the best option for our ecosystem.
The easiest way to think of our tire-to-sole program is like taking off a pair of pants and cutting them into shorts. (By the way, if you’ve never done that, you’re missing out on a deeply satisfying moment.) However, only certain pants will double as great shorts in a second life, which is why choosing the right material from the beginning is so important.
That’s the exact reason Timberland decided it was worth the extra effort to get involved and create a tire line:  to ensure the very best materials would be available for shoe soles at the end of the tire’s life cycle. After a long tweaking process, Timberland Tires were finally born.
(Most importantly) Where To Find Timberland Tires
Now we have Timberland Tires made in the USA that fit most cars in the country, with new tire sizes being added every few months. Get Timberland Tires delivered to your mechanic, or find a dealer near you through TimberlandTires.com.
Once you’ve worn out our tires on the road, we will responsibly recycle them into the soles of Timberland footwear. In other words, reduce your environmental footprint while you make actual footprints on the Modern Trail.




  

 
 

United States

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Timberland LLC is an U.S manufacturer and retailer of outdoors wear, with a focus on footwear. It is owned by VF Corporation. Timberland footwear is marketed towards people intending outdoor use. The company also sells apparel, such as clothes, watches, glasses, sunglasses, and leather goods

Timberland

Omni United Pte. Ltd is a tire manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Singapore. 

Omni United

<p>Timberland announced a collaboration with tire manufacturer and distributor Omni United, to create a co-branded line of tires under the Timberland and Radar Tires brands. Timberland Tires will be the first tires ever purposely designed to be recycled into footwear outsoles after their journey on the road is complete.</p>

Timberland - Tires designed to be repurposed into shoe soles

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Starter Kit collection

Direct and indirect effects that increase revenues or the potential for new revenues, for example from new products, customer segments, partnerships or business models

Revenue Potential

Providing goods on the Internet, through mail order, or television, or providing goods in stores, including apparel, electronics, furniture, food and drug, etc.

Retail

Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use

Design for the future

Designing to enable multiple uses and lifecycles of a product and its materials

Design for cyclability

Designing products of multiple parts that can be easily disassembled

Design for disassembly

VISION:
Products and services are designed for multiple use and material value retention, with maximum positive impact.

DETAIL: 
Imagine a time when…products flow via optimal collection and distribution streams into reusable and repairable product platforms. Reuse and access models are dominant, and products are designed for multiple recirculation before biodegrading (if designed to do so), or being broken down into reusable raw materials for production. People only consume what they need. Production and consumption wastes have been fully eliminated and multifunctional, season-less and timeless fashions are the norm, yet still fulfil our human need for expression and creativity without constraint. All business models, organisations, governments and citizens play a role in maintaining a healthy, functioning circular ecosystem.

Products and Services

It is 2050.  Full systems change has taken place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the immediate action and radical steps taken from 2020 onwards. Many targets had to be identified in the early 2020s and achieved by 2030 to ensure that the 2050 goal happened in full. A sense of urgency, turbo stakeholder collaboration, supportive government regulation and clear, data driven targets enabled the mindsets and systems change needed to transform to a fully circular textiles ecosystem.

A circular economics model underpins what we have created. It reflects and supports a living organism made up of makers, users and restorers, interacting across vibrant and interconnected networks. Checks and balances, alongside transparency and accountability, ensure a healthy system. Financial, environmental, and social metrics have the purpose of serving communities and the planet. There is shared ownership of profit and loss – across all three metrics – throughout the value chain.

This is what we’ve achieved over the last 30 years:

WCTD Themes

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“Circularity” has become a buzzword in the fashion world, with brands using the catchall term to refer to everything from using eco-friendly materials to selling secondhand goods. But becoming a truly circular company is harder than it looks, as Timberland, the iconic American boot brand founded in 1973, is discovering firsthand.[Photo: courtesy Timberland]Today it launches a program called “Timberloop” that invites customers to return used Timberland products so they can be refurbished or disassembled and then upcycled. For a brand that generates upward of $11 billion in annual revenue, this program was a major undertaking, requiring it to partner with experts across its global markets—including the U.S., Europe, and Asia—who could take apart shoes and clothes and transform them into new products. Now the big question is whether enough consumers will be willing to go through the effort of returning their old products, and whether Timberland can scale this program.[Image: courtesy Timberland]The concept of a circular economy has been around since the 1960s. It refers to moving away from a linear system in which consumers use products then throw them away. Instead, products would stay in circulation for as long as possible by being repaired, refurbished, and resold. Then, at the end of their lives, they would be recycled into new products, minimizing the amount of raw materials that need to be extracted.[Image: courtesy Timberland]As climate change worsens, brands increasingly tout their circular practices. Many, however, just focus on one small part of the process. Companies like ThredUp and TheRealReal focus on selling secondhand products, while brands like Everlane and Reformation use recycled plastic in their manufacturing. Atlanta McIlwraith, Timberland’s director of global community engagement and activation, says that the company’s goal was to come up with a comprehensive system that would address many aspects of circularity.Starting today, customers will be able to download a free shipping label to return any Timberland product, or return items to any Timberland store. (To encourage participation, the company is offering customers a 10% discount on their next purchase.) These products will be collected and shipped to Timberland’s recycling partner, ReCircled, to be processed.McIlwraith says products that are in good condition will be refurbished and resold on a soon-to-be launched secondhand website that’s part of  Timberland’s main site. Products beyond repair will be taken apart, so each part—from the leather to the plastic sole to the metal components—can be recycled. “Historically, footwear has been very hard to recycle, because it is made of so many different materials that are tightly attached together using adhesives and thread,” she says. “We chose to partner with ReCircled because it has the expertise and the equipment to process our shoes.”
      
      
    [Image: Timberland]Another benefit of partnering with ReCircled, McIlwraith says, is that it has an international footprint. In April, Timberloop will roll out in Europe; later in the year it will be available in the Middle East and Asia Pacific markets, all of which will be processed by ReCircled. “For the customer, the entire experience will operate through Timberland’s website and stores, so it will be a seamless process for them,” she says.Timberland’s goal is to create a fully closed loop, in which components that ReCircled takes apart and recycles are then used to make new Timberland shoes. ReCircled sends each material to a different industrial recycler that specializes in, say, plastic or metal. Many of these recyclers are now Timberland’s suppliers.But Timberland is also redesigning its shoes to make them easier to take apart, which will ultimately mean ReCircled will require less time and effort to separate their component materials. The company’s designers are already working to reduce the number of materials in the shoes, using adhesives that are easier to dissolve, and developing stitching techniques that will make them easier to disassemble. In April, the brand will unveil a new shoe called the Timberloop Trekker, made from recycled materials and designed so that the outsoles can be easily removed for recycling. McIlwraith says the brand’s designers will incorporate these new techniques across the entire product line in subsequent seasons. “It’s a complex design problem,” she says. “The shoes are designed to last a long time but be easy to disassemble at the end of their life span.”For Timberloop to have a real impact, customers will need to send in large volumes of product. While some environmentally conscious consumers will likely embrace the new program, it’s unclear how many people will take the time and effort to send in their old shoes and clothes, or bring them back into stores—and a 10% discount may not be enough of an incentive to do so. McIlwraith says that the company is working hard to educate customers about the program by creating attractive collection bins in stores that explain the process, training retail representatives to talk about it, and sending emails to encourage people to take part.Ultimately, for circularity to work it will require consumers to change behavior en masse. In Europe, governments are considering legislation that would use tax incentives to reward reuse, repair, and recycling, and discourage incinerating or landfilling clothes, but no laws have yet passed. For now, brands like Timberland are absorbing the cost of recycling products through programs like Timberloop and are encouraging consumers to send in old products voluntarily.


How does TIMBERLOOP™ Work?

When your well-loved, used gear reaches the end of its life with you, you can return it to us. These products will take one of two paths: 
RESOLD: Lightly used products that can look like new with a few small repairs will be refurbished and resold.
RECYCLED: Products that are beyond repair are disassembled and either reused in new products or put into the proper recycling streams – rubber, plastic, nylon, cotton, leather, etc.

How do I return my product(s)?

You can return items in-person OR by mail! 
Clearly marked donation boxes are installed in every Timberland® store.
Want to ship it? Simply visit timberland.com/timberloop, print the FREE pre-paid shipping label, and mail back your worn Timberland® products to begin their recycling journey. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible to participate – the more products we get, the better!

Do I get something in return for the product I send you?

Beyond helping to preserve the planet, you'll receive 20% off one item on your next Timberland® purchase.

Does the TIMBERLOOP™ program offer a repair option, so people can get back their own product?

This is not an option today, but something we are working toward for the future.

Will recycled materials end up back in Timberland products?

Our intent is for the materials that get recycled through the TIMBERLOOP™ program to end up in future Timberland products. But it will take some time to get there.
In some instances, reusable components like zippers and buttons will be used to repair damaged products. In others, materials will be ground down and used in things like recycled leather, insulation and much more. Either way, the end goal is zero waste.

Can I track what happens to my items?

Yes! Anyone who prints a pre-paid label and ships their products from home will be able to track their products, and whether they were repaired for resale or disassembled for upcycling/recycling.

Can I return items that are a brand other than Timberland?

While we are actively seeking Timberland products as we work toward our 100% circularity goal, we will accept products from other brands. Products from other brands will either go into the recycling stream, be donated, or be resold.

Why did you create this program?

The TIMBERLOOP™ program helps fuel a greener future. Along with sourcing natural materials through regenerative agriculture, circular design will play a crucial role as we work toward this vision.
To achieve circularity, we not only need to design our products for recyclability, but we need systems and infrastructure to get those products back and ultimately turn them into new materials for future production. This program enables us to work with consumers to “close the loop,” keeping products and materials in circulation for as long as possible.
Disassembling used products and putting materials back into their respective recycling streams translates into reduced waste and environmental impact.

I have a product issue. Who do I contact?

If you need further assistance, you can contact us by phone at 800-720-8921, or email us at help@timberloop.com.



Timberland is kicking off the year with the launch of Timberloop, a take-back program to keep the brand’s shoes and apparel out of landfills.
Beginning Monday, the Timberloop take-back program rolls out online and in store at all 85 Timberland full-price and outlet locations across the U.S. At no cost to them, customers can issue take-backs on Timberland items in any condition via the brand’s website by printing out a free shipping label and sending in their product or by visiting the designated drop-off boxes in store.
While customers get a 10 percent discount toward their next purchase, their goods get a second chance.
After take-back, goods are either routed for recycling (and upcycling into new products via Timberland’s partner ReCircled) or refurbishment to be given new life on Timberland’s resale website launching later this spring, according to the company. Although programs like Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe have been around much longer, operating since 1993 and repurposing 30 million athletic shoes to date, the service is limited in some aspects. Reuse-a-Shoe is available in 150 stores in North America but not yet apparel.
Meanwhile, Timberloop seeks to edge forward with the capacity for apparel and an added technology stance on circularity.
“Via the digital take-back program, consumers will be able to track their products and whether they were repaired for resale or disassembled for upcycling/recycling,” Susie Mulder, global brand president of Timberland, told WWD. “Ultimately we aim to share the positive environmental outcomes of the consumer’s recycling efforts — in terms of water and energy saved — so they’ll know specifically how they helped to make a difference.”
The European take-back program will roll out in April along with the brand’s circular Timberloop Trekker city hiking shoe and the brand’s dedicated resale site. Asia-Pacific will trail these efforts in 2023, as the brand sets sights on its goal of 100 percent circularity by 2030.
For More, See:
Short Takes: What’s Happening With Take-Back Programs? 
How The North Face Plans to Engage Customers on Its Sustainability Journey
Timberland Is Breaking Down Its Shoes to Build Up the Circular Economy


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We are the infrastructure for fashion in the circular economy

ReCircled

<p>American footwear giant Timberland recently launched a new take-back program called ‘Timberloop’. Customers are invited to return their used Timberland footwear, apparel and accessories so they can either be refurbished or disassembled and upcycled (remanufactured) (Timberland, 2022).</p>