Business case

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

Increase Awareness

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

Innovation

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

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

Engaging in discussions with government bodies and policymakers to push for regulations that support the circular economy

Advocacy for circular economy policy

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

Solutions at all stages of the textiles value chain.

Zero Waste Textiles

Other

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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  The European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) is an exciting project that will bring environmental and economic benefit to the clothing sector. It is the first EU LIFE funded project to address clothing sustainability.
Its approach encompasses sustainable design, production, consumption, public procurement, collection, recycling and reprocessing.  The project focuses on the clothing supply chain, and has 8 action areas:  




ECAP project extension – project now concludes December 2019



Please be aware that we have now extended the ECAP project until 31st December 2019. This will allow us to further develop the project and achieve improved outcomes and insights. It does however mean that the final project report will now be available later than planned at the end of 2019.





  Check out the ECAP Youtube channel for our videos
The ECAP project has received funding from the LIFE programme of the European Union  

ECAP

The European Union is a unique economic and political union between 27 EU countries that together cover much of the continent.

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European Union 

<p>ECAP is €3.6 million EU LIFE funded project which aims to reduce clothing waste across Europe and embed a circular economy approach. The project runs for three and a half years, ending in March 2019. Objectives and targets The focus of ECAP is to adopt a circular approach to divert clothing waste from landfill and incineration across Europe. Specifically it aims to: \- Divert over 90 tonnes of clothing waste from landfill and incineration. \- Reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing in Europe. \- Ensure that fewer low grade textiles go to incineration and landfill. \- Prevent waste in the clothing supply chain. \- Encourage innovation in resource-efficient design, recycling of textile fibres and service models to encourage business growth in the sector. \- Influence consumers to buy smarter and use clothing for longer by using the existing Love Your Clothes consumer campaign.</p>