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This collection was curated by the Circle Economy team from Knowledge Hub case studies for businesses, local and national governments around the world to find inspiration in practical examples of the circular economy. 

Visit the <a href="https://circle-economy.com" target="_blank">Circle Economy website</a> for more information and for more publications on the circular economy.

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Circle Economy

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This collection comes from the <a href="https://www.circle-economy.com/circular-jobs-initiative/" target="_blank">Circular Jobs Initiative</a>, an initiative of Circle Economy.

The workforce is an essential lever for transforming our economy from linear to circular. The Circular Jobs Initiative aims to maximise the employment opportunities offered by the circular economy. It provides practical support and insights to businesses and governments that want to adopt circular strategies that have a positive social impact.The Circular Jobs Initiative works through three focus areas: 

- Upskilling the workforce

- Quality of work

- Inclusive job opportunities 

CJI has defined circular jobs as any occupation that directly involves or indirectly supports one of the strategies of the circular economy. It distinguishes between three types of circular jobs: core, enabling and indirectly circular jobs.

**Core circular jobs** are all jobs that ensure the closure of raw material cycles, including jobs in repair, renewable energy, waste and resource management. 

**‍Enabling circular jobs** are jobs that remove barriers for and enable the acceleration and upscaling of core circular activities, including jobs that arise in leasing, education, design and digital technology. 

**Indirectly circular jobs** are jobs that occur in other sectors that do not play a direct role in furthering the transition to the circular economy but can still adopt circular strategies. They include jobs that provide services to core circular strategies, including jobs in information services, logistics and the public sector.

The Knowledge Hub Collection includes examples of circular jobs, publications, reports, case studies and policies different organisations, governments and businesses are already using to advocate for a person-centred circular economy. 

Visit the <a href="https://www.circle-economy.com/circular-jobs-initiative/" target="_blank">Circular Jobs Initiative</a>

Visit the <a href="http://jobsmonitor.circle-economy.com/" target="_blank">Circular Jobs Monitor</a>

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Circular Jobs Initiative

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Policy case

Grow countries globally account for 55% of all raw material extraction and 52% of the material footprint, while housing around 37% of the global population.

These are larger Southeast Asian countries and countries in Latin America and Northern Africa, as well as those with an economy in transition in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Examples include :
- China
- Indonesia
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Vietnam
- Myanmar
- Egypt, ...

Large contribution to the overshoot of planetary boundaries—largely due to the consumptions of local materials in higher-
income (Shift) countries: these countries contribute 50% of climate change, 62% of nitrogen, 60% of phosphorus, 53% of freshwater use and 42% of land use change.

To find out what country profile your country belongs to, explore [this interactive story](https://circularity-gap.world) and search for your country on the final map.

Grow

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Impact on increased knowledge and understanding as a result of the case study

Increase Awareness

Other

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)

Local government

Developing or utilising online platforms to enable circular economy opportunities through information, product or service offering

Online platforms

Public-civil partnerships

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

Impact on the quantity or quality of jobs, and shifts in the labour market

Jobs

Impacts

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A framework of policy instruments that enabled and encourage the transition to the circular economy

Policy Instruments

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A framework of policy instruments that enable and stimulate the transition to the circular economy

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

Urban Opportunities

Whilst no two countries are the same, there are still obvious similarities between some of them, with discernible development patterns and parallels in evidence. Common problems and shared solutions help place unique country identities and individual issues in context.

Whilst this classification is far from clear-cut and exhibits some overlap, it does underline how the discourse on transitioning to a circular economy needs to account for both differences and commonalities, if we are to arrive at a more strategic and instructive analysis. It also allows to highlight a set of key themes that are likely to be central to the countries that fall under the respective profiles. 

Country profiles (Build, Grow, Shift)

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A framework to distinguish between different country profiles and their circular transition needs.

Browse case studies by type of implementing stakeholder.

Implementing stakeholders

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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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Cape Town

City of Cape Town

GreenCape

The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Program (WISP) is a government program ran by the non-profit organisation GreenCape, with support of the city of Cape Town, to connect businesses around the Cape Town area. The program led workshops and created an online database to incentivise and train companies to use synergies in waste streams. Over five years, it has created 143 jobs and diverted almost 27'500 tons of waste. The program has been widely considered a success and catalysed development of similar programmes across South Africa.

Promoting industrial symbiosis in Cape Town

Article / Report

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

Reuse, repurpose, and recycle waste streams within the same industry

Valorise waste streams - closed loop

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

Reuse, repurpose, and recycle waste streams within other industries

Valorise waste streams - open loop

  
Ddisposable nappies
Chemicals, paint, toothpaste tubes, clear food punnets, dog food packets, washing powder packets, chips packets, motor oil containers, acids or solvents
Organic waste, food scraps, vegetable peels, garden waste
Clothing or shoes
Wet, dirty or contaminated items
  

Report profiling the waste situation in the Western Cape (and Cape Town more specifically), detailing the opportunities to be found in the organics, e-waste, plastic and builders' rubble sectors to add value to the economy. The report outlines key drivers of these opportunities: legislation and regulation, government intervention and EPRs among them.

 South African waste management report

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Circle Economy and ICLEI have partnered up to initiate the go to knowledge hub of case studies about the circular economy in cities. The Cities Collection is a repository of case studies that demonstrate the role of cities in the circular transition, and includes policies, business cases and research articles. Cases in the Collection flow into an ecosystem of digital products which support users in transitioning cities to circularity, for example [Ganbatte](https://ganbatte.world/cities/) and <a href="https://circulars.iclei.org/" target="_blank">ICLEI Circulars</a>, both part of the <a href="https://circulars.iclei.org/circle-lab-for-cities/" target = _blank">Circle Lab for Cities Programme.</a>

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Circular Cities

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Create and support online platforms and physical spaces for sale, sharing and exchange of spaces, items and materials.

Facilitate second-hand markets, sharing & exchange platforms

Increase efficiency and promote local economic growth by shortening supply chains and connecting local producers to consumers.


Support local low-impact circular economies

Industry peers to industry peer collaboration to create joint value and identify synergies

Industry collaboration

Do better with less by using and supporting infrastructure, processes and products that are designed to minimize material, water and energy use and waste generation from production to end of use


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Reduce

Awareness raising events

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

Businesses

Redesign systems to lay the foundation for circular activities and enable the transition to a circular economy 

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Rethink

Facilitate cross-collaboration by engaging city departments, industries and businesses on ambitious, closed-loop circular projects.

Support closed-loop systems and cross-sectoral synergies

Extracting resources and processing them to produce materials for use bysociety

Materials and Fuels

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

Information campaigns

'Inform' increases the overall levels of awareness and builds the necessary skills and knowledge around the circular economy to foster long-term change.

Inform

Direct and indirect reduction in economic costs

Cost Savings

Use longer and more often by extending and intensifying use of existing resources, products, spaces and infrastructure

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Reuse

Data, knowledge & information sharing

Governments

Industries

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The Circular City Actions Framework provides urban changemakers with five complementary strategies they can use to start working towards a more circular system. 

The framework is action-based to provide users with concrete strategic directions and showcase the desired outcomes of each strategy. 
The framework consists of five complementary **strategies**, under which **sub-strategies** provide further detail. Finally, each sub-strategy consists of a diversity of tangible **solutions** which are framed in relation to key thematic areas. 

Note: solutions are currently focused on:
- 🍏 **Food systems**
- 🏢  **Built environment**
- 👕📱  **Consumer goods**
- ⚡ **Energy Systems**
- 🚌 **Mobility Systems**
- 💧 **Water Systems**

More thematic areas are coming soon...

'Click through each of the five strategy cards below to explore the framework and circular economy case studies in more depth!'



This framework was developed in collaboration with ICLEI, Metabolic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation with support from the MAVA Foundation. Read more about it [here]( https://circulars.iclei.org/action-framework/). 



Circular City Actions Framework

An action-based framework for local governments working towards circular cities

City Stakeholders

Business Chief Africa takes a look at 10 sustainable startups in Africa and the Middle East.  Baramoda  Established in 2015, Baramoda is a startup agri-tech which specialises in sustainable agricultural innovations and developing biofertilizers from agri-waste.  Baramoda’s vision is to lead the way towards a greener environment by providing innovative solutions to efficiently maximise agri-waste management, minimise the cost of production, reduce excessive use of chemical fertilisers and increase crop production with minimal use of water. Sector: Waste Management Country: Egypt Bekia  Established in 2017, Bekia is an online marketplace for people to exchange household waste for essential goods and leverages technology to develop climate change solutions. Sector: Waste Management Country: Egypt  Avani Middle East   Established in 2014, Avani Middle East strives to make a sustainable difference by utilising technological solutions to combat the global epidemic of plastic pollution. Avani develops a bioplastic made from cassava starch as well as a range of sustainable food packaging and hospitality products from renewable resources. Sector: Manufacturing Country: UAE Badia Farms  Established in 2016, Badia Farms began its operations with one question in mind “can we grow rare flavours from around the world in the heart of the Middle East?” Bardia Farms, uses the latest hydroponics technology,to grow delicious, nutritious microgreens and herbs without sunlight, soil, or pesticides. Its farming methods use up to 80 percent less water driving energy-efficiency and sustainability. Badia Farms is committed to:   Producing fresh produce 365 days a year   Operate 100% pesticide free   Produce all produce locally in the UAE   Provide high quality produce    Using sustainable method to produce all fresh produce   Sector: Agritech Country: UAE Clean City  Established in 2016, Clean City is an application to help clean up polluted cities, with the app communities can report polluted areas via the app. Sector: Technology Country: Morocco SEE ALSO: Fabric Aid  Established in 2017, FabricAID collects, sorts, and redistributes clothes to disadvantaged communities at micro-prices - ranging from US$0.3 to a maximum of US$2. Its goal is to deliver quality clothing to those who need them, while reducing fabric waste. Sector: Waste Management Country: Lebanon Go Clean  Established in 2017, Go Clean is a recycling solutions company that strives to increase environmental awareness by including consumers as part of the recycling process, who are then rewarded for being included. Sector: Waste Management Country: Egypt Green Touches  Established in 2015, Green Touches is  an all natural, ethical and eco-friend company that strives to build a greener planet by providing alternative methods of cleaning. “Our promise to you as a company is to offer our cleaning services as 100% chemical free, natural and Eco certified products. We want to help you, our clients, eliminate the use of dangerous chemicals from your work space.” Sector: Clean Technology Country: UAE Live, Love, Recycle  Established in 2018, Live, Love, Recycle is a mobile app solution that facilities the collection of recyclables from households and business.  “Our idea "Live Love Recycle" is simple: to build a zero-emission recycling collection service, while employing people below the poverty line, both refugees and Lebanese citizens.” Sector: Waste Management Country: Lebanon Seramic Materials  Established in 2019, Seramic Materials vision is to drive energy intensive industries towards a more sustainable future.  Seramic Materials is committed to a breakthrough zero-waste philosophy, by forging a new circular eco-economy model that can be applied to heavy industry. Seramic creates two dedicated entities: Seramic Energy which is developing waste heat recovery projects, and Seramic Materials which is manufacturing advanced ceramic products.  Sector: Waste Management Country: UAE For more information on business topics in the Middle East, please take a look at the latest edition of Business Chief Middle East. Follow Business Chief on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

South Africa

SYNERGie 

The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Program (WISP) was formed by the City of Cape Town, GreenCape, and SYNERGie to create connections between various businesses.The National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), with provincial government partners, facilitates industrial symbiosis workshops for interested companies to exchange information with a view to developing a symbiotic relationship.

Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Program for material reuse and consumption reduction

Case-study_Life-beyond-sales-rack.pdf

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This collection has been built by a community of passionate researchers, students, and industry professionals as part of <a href="https://worldcirculartextilesday.com/" target="_blank">World Circular Textiles Day</a> (WCTD). 


World Circular Textiles Day takes place every year on 8th October. Our vision is to galvanise the collective ambitions and goals of people, organisations and businesses to reach a fully circular textiles world by 2050. Our mission is to provide a framework for circularity stakeholders to develop and deliver a collaborative, evolving roadmap and to chart circularity’s momentum annually from the 8th of October until 2050.

What does fully circular by 2050 mean?
- Shared textile resources, in the form of products and raw materials, are kept in **continual circulation**.
- Virgin resources are **replaced with circular materials**.
- Dignity, equity, and equality for the **people** involved in all parts of the circular value chain.

We need to know where we stand today to chart how to get to 100% Circularity by 2050. What circular activity is currently happening in the textiles and apparel industry, and where in the world is it happening? The WCTD Collection aims to answer this question by building the world’s largest digital library of circular textiles case studies. 

World Circular Textiles Day is proud to be supported by our 2022-23 Circular Hero Partners:
[Lenzing](https://www.lenzing.com/), [Texaid](https://retailsolutions.texaid.com/), [Bank & Vogue](https://www.bankvogue.com/), [Usha yarns limited](https://ushayarns.com/), [The Conduit](https://www.theconduit.com/), and [Asia Pacific Rayon](https://www.aprayon.com/en/)

## Want to contribute to the WCTD Collection? Sign up and add your circular textiles activities.

World Circular Textiles Day

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Contribution to social parity, or impact on social disparity

Equality

Scalability

Working together with industry peers to engage in business activities or exploratory projects that advance the circular economy

Joint industry ventures, projects, pilots

Metrics and indicators to measure progress

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

Retail

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

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

Fashion and Textiles

Provide guidance or professional training to educate employees to use circular economy principles

Training on the circular economy

Raise awareness and run information campaigns about  strategies for and impacts of the circular economy in different contexts.

Communication and awareness

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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This case study, which focusses on textiles, is written to demonstrate how organisations that act as intermediaries can create economic opportunities that contribute to a circular economy in a developing country, such as South Africa. The case study discusses:- How waste can be used as a resource to drive economic growth and social upliftment,- How intermediaries can unlock circular economy opportunities,- How a circular economy can be emergent from addressing economic and social imperatives in a developing country context, and- How collaboration enables the organisation and partnering individuals to each have a sustainable business model.