The Circular Economy Show Podcast

By Ellen MacArthur Foundation

What's The Circular Economy Show Podcast about?

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation welcomes you to The Circular Economy Show, a podcast about a new way to design, make, and use things, and how we can build an economy that's fit for the 21st century.

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The Circular Economy Show Podcast episodes:

04.23.2024
New season coming up
Join us for a new season of the Circular Economy Show! New episodes drop every Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
04.02.2024
Reuse and repair: Africa’s long tradition of maximising materials
In the last episode of our series sharing some of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's most popular articles, we explore the world of reuse and repair. Travelling to the African continent, we find out how people and businesses have been embracing ...
03.26.2024
The psychology of ownership in the circular economy
In part two of our series sharing some of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's most popular articles, we dig deep into the psychology behind why we like to own things. We’ll also explore the alternatives that the circular economy offers.
03.19.2024
How the circular economy helps us stay within planetary boundaries
In our new three-part series, we’re sharing three of the most popular articles written by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s editorial team. In today’s episode, we explore how a circular economy can keep us stay within the nine planetary boundaries set...
03.05.2024
Designing for the customer: Fashion lessons from Zimbabwe with Rudo Nondo
In this episode, we hear from Rudo Nondo, a creative design practitioner and the acting Managing Director of Fashion Revolution. She tells us how her upbringing in Zimbabwe shaped her clothing philosophy.
02.27.2024
Redesigning food systems for nature to thrive
Is there a better way to produce our food? Today, we circle back to one episode of our award-nominated Redesigning Food series in this episode. We’ll rediscover what a circular economy for food would look like, meet the people working...
02.20.2024
Lily Cole & Ellen MacArthur: why we need optimism to shift mindsets
How can optimism and creativity help us transition to a circular economy? In this episode model, actress and activist, Lily Cole joins Ellen MacArthur and Emma Chow to discuss her journey from fashion model to environmental activist.
02.13.2024
Repairing our belongings: applying circular design
What if we could design products to elongate their useful life? In this episode, we delve into the world of repair, shifting the focus from disposable products to ones that are designed to be repaired.
02.06.2024
The power of biomaterials: 3 regenerative design solutions
How do we shift today’s economic system to one that helps to regenerate nature? In this episode we’ll meet three companies developing materials that work in harmony with our environment, and learn how such innovations can be scaled.
01.30.2024
Regenerative fashion: embracing a system shift for designers
In this week's episode, we circle back to understand the third principle of a circular economy: 'regenerating nature', and its application in the fashion industry. Our guest, Josie Warden, former Head of Regenerative Design at the RSA, joins us as...
01.23.2024
Christiana Figueres and Ellen MacArthur: Closing the loop to fight climate change
In this first episode of our Circling Back season, Christiana Figueres and Ellen MacArthur bring us an inspiring conversation about the role of circular thinking in addressing the causes of climate change and in solving the crisis.
01.18.2024
New Series: Circling Back
Welcome back to the Circular Economy Show! In our first series of the year, we're circling back to some of our most exciting conversations with leading thinkers from the world of technology, fashion, material design and climate. Join us every Tuesday...
12.19.2023
2023 in review: A year exploring the circular economy
This year on the Circular Economy Show Podcast we’ve heard from people working across many different industries, from farming to fashion, policy to plastics. In this episode, we explore some of our favourite moments from 2023. Thanks for joining us...
12.12.2023
Patrick McDowell: Meet the designer taking circular fashion to the catwalk
In the final episode of our fashion series, we go to London to meet Patrick McDowell, a pioneering British high-end designer who has been applying circular design for fashion since starting their career. They tell us about their journey and...
12.05.2023
How Troquer became Latin America’s leading preloved fashion start-up
In the second episode of our fashion series, we head to Mexico City to meet Troquer’s co-founders, Lucia and Ytzia. They discuss how they’ve become Latin America’s leading resale marketplace for quality fashion items and the challenges they’ve faced on...
11.28.2023
Rental, Resale, Recommerce: ACS’ journey towards circular fashion solutions
Welcome to our new fashion series, where we'll meet three companies working towards a circular economy for fashion. In this first episode, we visit Europe's largest circular fashion hub, Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS).
11.21.2023
Let’s collaborate: How Jaguar Land Rover is creating circular partnerships
In this episode, we hear from Reuben Chorley, Sustainable Industrial Operations Director at Jaguar Land Rover. Together we will dive deeper into the world of i-Pace Jaguar car batteries, and how these are being given a second life in the...
11.14.2023
Use your imagination: Julie Hjort's mission to design a circular future
Time for something a little different in this episode! Join us as we head to Copenhagen to meet Julie Hjort, Director of Sustainable Transformation at the Danish Design Center. From her office in the Danish capital, Julie reflects on how...
11.07.2023
How banks can help the transition to a circular economy with Intesa Sanpaolo
In this episode, we’ll join Gianmarco, Luigi and Cristina from the Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo to learn how the circular economy has become a strategic priority for them and discuss the critical connection between the circular economy, biodiversity loss and...
10.31.2023
Progress, challenges and solutions: Learnings from five years of the Global Commitment with Sander Defruyt
In this week's episode, Sander Defruyt, Plastics Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, reflects on the progress and learnings to date from five years of the Global Commitment, the need for a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution,...
10.24.2023
Welcome to the Circular Economy Show Podcast
Welcome to The Circular Economy Show Podcast. Join the team from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as each week we explore the innovations that can address issues such as climate change, waste, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Get ready to be inspired, informed,...
10.17.2023
Changing the way we buy and use technology with Back Market
In this week’s episode, Jess Mevel travels to Bordeaux, France, to learn how Back Market is working to make refurbished tech better than new.
10.10.2023
Building landscapes for nature with Arup’s Neil Harwood
To conclude this bite-sized series on regenerative design, in this week’s episode, Neil Harwood, Associate Director at Arup, elaborates on his company’s efforts to deliver nature-positive projects in different parts of the world.
10.03.2023
Making the case for Biomimicry with Janine Benyus
In the penultimate episode of our bite-sized series on regenerative design, this week we hear from Janine Benyus, author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, on how to combine ambition and biomimicry to create regenerative infrastructures in our cities.
09.26.2023
Scaling regenerative design for a circular economy with Nicole Miller
As part of our bite-sized series on regenerative design, this week, we hear from Nicole Miller at Biomimicry 3.8's Project Positive about key ways it can be scaled within companies and communities.
09.19.2023
Inspired by nature: Creating a regenerative built environment with Michael Pawlyn
In this week’s bite-sized episode we hear from Michael Pawlyn, known for his work in biomimetic architecture and innovation. Michael uses nature-inspired design to create fundamentally different results for business, people and the environment in spaces and buildings.
09.13.2023
Moving towards a regenerative future with Kate Raworth
What dynamics prevent us from moving from a linear to a circular economy? In this episode, Kate Raworth, author of the book Doughnut Economics, shares with us an inspiring reflection on how we need to collectively rethink our economy to...
09.05.2023
How is the circular economy gaining momentum in US policy?
In this episode, we hear from Costa Samaras from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to learn how policy is helping the circular economy to take hold in the USA.
08.29.2023
Growing ambition in the food system with Unilever and The Sustainable Food Trust
As the brand behind products including Ben and Jerry’s, Hellmann’s and Marmite, Unilever represents an important opportunity to scale a circular economy for food. In this episode, we’ll hear from the company’s Vice President & Managing Director, Eric Soubeiran, about...
08.22.2023
Changing the story with Waterbear and WPP
How can we use storytelling to get people to move away from the problems of a linear economy to explore the solutions offered by a circular one? In this episode, we’ll hear from Sam Sutaria, chief executive of streaming platform...
08.15.2023
Es Devlin on the power of art to inspire change
When we talk about the circular economy, we often think about the technical aspects of transitioning away from the linear economy. In this episode, the artist Es Devlin talks to curator and author Francesca Gavin about the power of art...
06.27.2023
London’s approach to a circular economy for food
As we heard in our recent Redesigning Food series, our food system needs to be redesigned to help nature and people thrive. In our final episode from London, we meet Julie Brown, Director of Growing Communities, and Danny Fisher from Better...
06.20.2023
How is London developing a circular economy for buildings?
One of the biggest challenges facing London is the need to provide housing and infrastructure for the city's residents and workers. To deal with increasing demand, we need our buildings to be designed with the circular economy at their heart....
06.13.2023
How does ReLondon engage Londoners with the circular economy?
Wayne Hubbard, CEO of ReLondon, is on a mission to help Londoners revolutionise their relationship with stuff. His organisation, which is a partnership of the Mayor of London and the London boroughs, is designed to transform the city into a...
06.06.2023
How has Hackney prioritised the circular economy?
In this episode, we visit the London Borough of Hackney to find out about the possibilities for a circular economy in the UK’s capital city. We’ll hear from the borough’s mayor, Philip Glanville, about how the area is looking beyond waste...
06.01.2023
Ending plastic pollution: setting the agenda for a UN treaty
With the second round of negotiations for a UN treaty to end plastic pollution underway, in this episode we’ll explore how the INC-2 event taking place in Paris this week marks a crucial stage in the negotiations. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation...
05.23.2023
How can we feed 10 billion people? | Redesigning Food series
Over the last four episodes, we’ve heard how we need to change our food system to one that is nature-positive. But how can we scale a circular economy for food to feed the global population, which the UN estimate will...
05.16.2023
Add to basket: How retailers are working towards a circular economy for food | Redesigning Food series
What if there were no bad choices in your shopping basket? What if every bite of food had been designed in a way that helped to regenerate nature? In this episode, we hear from Waitrose and Natoora about the steps they’re...
05.09.2023
Teas, Peas, and Chutneys — what do nature-friendly products look like? | Redesigning Food series
In a circular economy, food ingredients should be diverse, low-impact, upcycled, and produced in a regenerative system. But what does that look like in practice? In this episode we meet three brands - Rubies in the Rubble, Grounded Ingredients and Hodemedod’s,...
05.02.2023
How can farmers help to regenerate nature? | Redesigning Food series
What is regenerative production? And how can farmers help address the damaging effects our industrialised food system has on the climate and biodiversity? In this episode, we’ll hear from Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers, an organisation working to empower farmers....
04.25.2023
Is there a better way to produce our food? | Redesigning Food series
Welcome to the first episode of our new series looking at the need to redesign our food system. In the episode, we look at what’s wrong with the current system, and learn how a circular economy for food can help address...
04.21.2023
Trailer: Our Redesigning Food series launches next week
Our current linear food system is failing us. It is the primary driver of biodiversity loss, accounts for a third of greenhouse gas emissions and, while 10% of the planet’s population goes hungry, we waste almost one-third of the food...
04.11.2023
Busting the myths of circular design for fashion
The current fashion system is broken. Every year the fashion industry misses out on hundreds of billions of dollars and contributes significantly to waste and pollution through the linear take-make-waste economy. In this episode, Chloe Anderson from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s...
04.04.2023
Creating better packaging from seaweed with Notpla
Earthshot prize winner Notpla is revolutionising the way we think about packaging. In this episode of The Circular Economy Show Podcast, we hear from Pierre Paslier, the company’s co-founder, about how they are using seaweed as a viable alternative to plastic...
03.28.2023
Could we grow a building? How Biohm is using biotechnologies to advance the circular economy
Imagine if one day we could grow our buildings! In this episode, hear how one company is already developing radical biotechnologies to innovate the construction industry and beyond. Dr Ehab Sayed, Founder and Chief Evolution Officer at BIOHM, discusses how biotechnologies...
03.21.2023
The role of design in the circular economy
With 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from how we make and use things, design has huge potential to influence our transition to a circular economy. In this episode of the Circular Economy Show Podcast, we explore why design is...
11.29.2022
The Circular Economy and Open Source
The term ‘open source’ is often linked to the development of software. But what about hardware? In the final part of this series, Colin meets two experts working in this space to hear how, much like in the natural world,...
11.22.2022
The Circular Economy and Reuse
There are significant material, energy, labour and carbon savings to be made by reusing, rather than remaking, a product. How does this work in business? And how does it fit into a circular economy? In this episode, Colin Webster from the Ellen...
11.15.2022
The Circular Economy and Agriculture
The circular economy is often wrongly characterised as a tech solution, or a solution for tech, but it’s about much more than that. As we heard in episode 97, there are two cycles: the technical and biological one. In this episode,...
11.08.2022
The Circular Economy and Repair
What do you do when something you own, say a toaster, breaks? You’ve usually got two options: fix it, or replace it. It often feels like replacing an item is easier than repairing it, and the most cost-effective solution. But...

What's The Circular Economy Show Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Circular Economy Show Podcast episodes:

New season coming up

Reuse and repair: Africa’s long tradition of maximising materials

The psychology of ownership in the circular economy

How the circular economy helps us stay within planetary boundaries

Designing for the customer: Fashion lessons from Zimbabwe with Rudo Nondo

Redesigning food systems for nature to thrive

Lily Cole & Ellen MacArthur: why we need optimism to shift mindsets

Repairing our belongings: applying circular design

The power of biomaterials: 3 regenerative design solutions

Regenerative fashion: embracing a system shift for designers

Christiana Figueres and Ellen MacArthur: Closing the loop to fight climate change

New Series: Circling Back

2023 in review: A year exploring the circular economy

Patrick McDowell: Meet the designer taking circular fashion to the catwalk

How Troquer became Latin America’s leading preloved fashion start-up

Rental, Resale, Recommerce: ACS’ journey towards circular fashion solutions

Let’s collaborate: How Jaguar Land Rover is creating circular partnerships

Use your imagination: Julie Hjort's mission to design a circular future

How banks can help the transition to a circular economy with Intesa Sanpaolo

Progress, challenges and solutions: Learnings from five years of the Global Commitment with Sander Defruyt

Welcome to the Circular Economy Show Podcast

Changing the way we buy and use technology with Back Market

Building landscapes for nature with Arup’s Neil Harwood

Making the case for Biomimicry with Janine Benyus

Scaling regenerative design for a circular economy with Nicole Miller

Inspired by nature: Creating a regenerative built environment with Michael Pawlyn

Moving towards a regenerative future with Kate Raworth

How is the circular economy gaining momentum in US policy?

Growing ambition in the food system with Unilever and The Sustainable Food Trust

Changing the story with Waterbear and WPP

Es Devlin on the power of art to inspire change

London’s approach to a circular economy for food

How is London developing a circular economy for buildings?

How does ReLondon engage Londoners with the circular economy?

How has Hackney prioritised the circular economy?

Ending plastic pollution: setting the agenda for a UN treaty

How can we feed 10 billion people? | Redesigning Food series

Add to basket: How retailers are working towards a circular economy for food | Redesigning Food series

Teas, Peas, and Chutneys — what do nature-friendly products look like? | Redesigning Food series

How can farmers help to regenerate nature? | Redesigning Food series

Is there a better way to produce our food? | Redesigning Food series

Trailer: Our Redesigning Food series launches next week

Busting the myths of circular design for fashion

Creating better packaging from seaweed with Notpla

Could we grow a building? How Biohm is using biotechnologies to advance the circular economy

The role of design in the circular economy

The Circular Economy and Open Source

The Circular Economy and Reuse

The Circular Economy and Agriculture

The Circular Economy and Repair