Circular design stories, sources and resources
Circular business and supply chain design is a fundamental of regeneratively designed businesses applying Deep Green Profit strategies, as this post discusses.
These recent stories, sources and resources give further background for your entrepreneurial journey.
Stories
Ocean Plastic face masks made by PADI – to wash and reuse.
Invasive seaweed being turned into biofuel (along with any stray plastic waste).
Refurbished, affordable electronics from Back Market .
BlackBear tyre upcycling (with an insight on the perils of turning 40).
The 2023 Circular Central Victoria report.
Original Sources
Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart are the authors of Cradle to Cradle and The Upcycle and their work has developed into the Cradle To Cradle Product Innovation Institute.
Engagement on Circular Economy has ramped up since solo yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur left the ocean and started The Ellen Macarthur Foundation for the Circular Economy – which now offers a wealth of resources.
The Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s Butterfly Diagram is a useful (if slightly complex) visual tool.
This UNEP Circularity Approach diagram is more process oriented – and more fully reflect the importance of designing circularity in from the ground up.
Resources
There’s an excellent set of resources now available in this Circular Design Guide – a product of a collaboration between IDEO and The Ellen Macarthur Foundation. They actually range a whole lot wider that just “circular” – regenerative design topics from service-based business to biomimicry are included. A couple of resources from the Circular Design Guide to get you thinking about circular opportunities are:
There’s a nice summary of Circular Economy Business Strategies on Medium by Leyla Acaroglu
This Ellen Macarthur Foundation article discusses the need to Radically Rethink Design
Here’s an IDEO video on Designing for the Circular Economy
What two engineers found out about opportunity in the video How Circular Economy Entrepreneurs Drive the Change and their work to connect entrepreneurs with corporates.
And if listening’s your thing, then the Ellen Macarthur Foundation runs a Circular Economy Show.
Online Learning Resources
The Ellen Macarthur Foudation for the Circular Economy has a Circular Economy Learning Hub you can explore.
EdX Business & Management Courses have Circular Economy: An Introduction
Coursera has multiple Circular Economy courses across industries from metals to fashion.
Industry Specific Resources
Commercial Real Estate:
