If you think recycling is the solution for a more sustainable economy, well, unfortunately you are wrong: from a Circular perspective is the worst option! What are better ones then?

Fabian Takacs, from St. Gallen University examines the concept of circular economy with a focus on business model innovation and ecosystems. Small and medium enterprises that want to transition to a circular product offering can follow these four steps: Close, Improve, Monetise, Excite the loop. How? And what about the role of consumers?

In this episode, Serena Rebecca Moro from Cikis, a sustainable fashion consultancy, interviews Dario, trying to revolutionise the textile industry step by step with Muntagnard. 

Ryan talks about how the ecosystem approach works in Agrifood innovation. 

“We defined challenge areas, one around sustainable agriculture, on digital traceability, circular economy and healthy nutrition.

Patricia talks about circular economy and strategies that can act as a vehicle to address the 9 planetary boundaries. What does it mean to build a sustainable business model and how can organisations join forces to guarantee a sustainable living for current and future generations? 

“What is really important to us is to set the topic of circular economy within the context of the planetary boundaries, which essentially ensure the stability of all of our ecosystems [..] and to show the opportunities that are related to transition from a linear to circular model.”

Phil talks about how collaborative innovation and information transparency, enabled by blockchain, could unlock the potential of Circular Economy, by informing decision making. Circularise provides the information highway to do so. A system for actors in the chain to upload the relevant info for materials, components and products, while keeping proprietary and sensitive data behind the 'zero knowledge proof' protection.

Alessandro illustrates the impact and technical challenges associated with recovering oil spills in waters. With Test1 he patented Foam Flex 200, a sponge designed to be very effective in absorbing high quantities of oils in different contexts.

"The main problems with oil spilling are environmental and human damages and costs (oil lost plus clean up costs). Foam Flex 200 is not toxic, reduces by 10 times clean up costs and recovers up to 70% of the spill."

Giovanni Bottazzi, Head of Sales at Plastic Bank, tells us about his transition from consumer good corporates to a social store chain where plastic waste turns into currency for local communities.

"We are not in the business of fighting for price. We are in business of fighting for change and for the world, and we believe that the world doesn't change at commodity price."

Brian - Post Doctoral researcher in circular economy business models at Technische Universiteit Delft - explains the gap between academic research and business practice and illustrates tools to facilitate circular economy transition.

"We require establishing collaborative capacity between multiple organizations. And this is not only a technical challenge, but it's also a social challenge. You need to get people in the same room and discuss how all of this can happen."

"Pioneers, entrepreneurs and citizens building tomorrow's economy can be found everywhere. Now, in order to make the big scale needed transition happen, we need ambitious political action. Time is running and it has never been more needed to act fast, together."

Valerio Barberis - Deputy Maior on Urban Planning, Environment and Circular Economy at Municipality of Prato - shares his experience as public administrator of Prato, a city that is becoming a reference point at European level for urban forestry, circular and collaborative economy practices

"We need to engage all the stakeholders of the cities, but also citizens, children in schools, with a coherent strategy of co-design and participatory processes in order to get people to be part and feeling part of this transformation process."