#Recycling / Circular Economy

2023-12-07

Circle Economy Foundation partners with Circulair West

Circle Economy Foundation and Circulair West announced that the organisations have entered into a strategic partnership to develop and pilot the Circulair West Academy. This pilot project aims to introduce the tools of the Foundation’s Circular Starter Kit to the Circulair West network of founders, leaders and friends. This consists of a documentary about circularity and a gamified e-learning platform.

Circle Economy Foundation will tailor several of its digital tools to contribute to the Circulair West Academy

The partnership brings together Circle Economy Foundation and Circulair West on their missions to nurture a circular economy across sectors. Circulair West was founded by six leading companies—AW Group, de Beelen Group, HOEK, Meerlanden, Ouwehand Bouw & Ontwikkeling and Timpaan — with the goal of accelerating the circular transitions of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Netherlands. Circle Economy Foundation has developed a series of digital tools, namely the Circularity Academy—a gamified e-learning platform, to train and monitor the adoption of circularity within organisations or communities of stakeholders.

"We are so excited and grateful for the partnership with Circulair West to bring circularity to small- and medium-sized enterprises and their employees across Holland, our home base’’, said Ivonne Bojoh, COO of Circle Economy Foundation. ‘Through this innovative collaboration, our goal is to enable members of the Circulair West network with insights, promote action, connect and track their progress towards a circular economy using the circular digital tools. We trust this is the beginning of an impactful partnership that brings circularity to many Dutch businesses’.

Friends in the Circulair West network will now have access to Circle Economy Foundation’s Circularity Academy (in Dutch), along with the Going Circular documentary and discounted Circular Starter Kits to kick-start their circular transitions. These unique digital tools take stakeholders on an evidence-based journey to help them find out where they are, envision where they can go and understand how to get there. With this in mind, businesses can spearhead their circular transition and help entire sectors and regions transform simultaneously.

"We are thrilled and grateful that Circle Economy, one of the most successful global circular economy impact organisations, is willing to partner with Circulair West to deploy their innovative digital gamification tool towards our members in the provinces of Noord- and Zuid-Holland. This tool, which has already demonstrated remarkable impact and scalability, will now benefit small and medium-sized enterprises, fostering a deeper understanding of circular principles throughout entire organisations’, said Leon van Ast of Circulair West. ‘The comprehensive gamification and user experience will undoubtedly accelerate the adoption and execution of new circular strategies and business models. We eagerly anticipate the transformative impact this collaboration will bring’’.

Between 121 and 142 million people are employed in the circular economy globally, new study finds

Between 121 and 142 million people worldwide are employed in sectors that contribute to the circular economy, such as repair, recycling, second-hand trade and waste management. This represents roughly between 5 and 5.8 percent of total global employment (excluding agriculture), according to a new joint report by Circle Economy, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Bank Group, in partnership with the UN Partnership for Action on Green Economy (UN-PAGE).

Circulose welcomes Sara Diez Jauregui and Kalyan Madabhushi to its Board of Directors

Circulose is proud to announce the appointment of Sara Diez Jauregui and Kalyan Madabhushi to further strengthen its Board of Directors, following the recent appointment of Chair Helena Helmersson. These additions bring world-class expertise across the value chain: Sara offers extensive experience with leading fashion and apparel brands, while Kalyan brings a notable career at Aditya Birla Group, a global leader in cellulosic fiber production.

Successful pilot: biodegradable plastic produced from textile waste

The 'Design for Transformation' (D4T) pilot project, led by Circle Economy and the Biomimicry Institute, has developed an innovative technology to produce bioplastics and gaseous products from textile waste. This set of technologies aims to enable companies to generate additional revenue streams from waste, whilst diverting it from landfills or incineration.

EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear now in force

The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.

Circ launches first denim collection with H&M featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology

Circ today announced that the first men's denim collection featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology is now available at H&M, marking the commercial delivery of this unique pilot project first announced in October 2025. Featuring two styles available across the UK, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Turkey, North America, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East, the launch brings TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology into H&M's standard men's denim assortment for the first time.

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.