The ownership of assets has long been the way in which companies maintain their operations; however when analysing the usage statistics of these assets they tend to remain idle more often than they are used. The concept of a sharing economy is one that helps bring circularity to life and provides a way for assets such as machinery, equipment, facilities and even personnel to be utilized to their fullest. Although ideal, the biggest challenge in implementing such an economy is connecting these idle assets with companies that can put them to use. With a goal of providing a solution to this challenge, FLOOW2 developed the “world’s reset button” to provide a sharing marketplace for business equipment and services.
By creating an online platform FLOOW2 was able to establish an easy to use marketplace for the efficient and transparent exchange of assets, becoming the first company in the world to offer businesses and institutions a new way to pay-off their assets. Asset owners post their equipment, machinery, facilities, services or expertise on the marketplace and buyers who would like to use or purchase the assets can execute a rental agreement or sale through the website.
FLOOW2’s sharing marketplace prevents the overcapacity of equipment, machinery, and facilities, by bringing together already existing supply and demand while reducing the demand for new assets. The business model illustrates the benefits of the sharing economy and solidifies the fact that this concept can be applied to B2B business models.
The implementation of such a marketplace requires extensive effort to raise awareness for the online platform and convert users. At the moment about 35.000 advertisements are posted on the marketplace however, the biggest challenge is teaching companies the benefits of a sharing economy compared to asset ownership.
The marketplace brings greater turnover and a more efficient allocation of resources. With ambitions to become accessible worldwide, FLOOW2 is developing a unique exchange platform to target the healthcare sector which has more expiry dates on products than other sectors. Such a platform will be able to reallocate medical technologies that have become obsolete, to hospitals that can make use of the older equipment, especially those in developing countries.
“The circular economy forces all of us to think and act differently. The mind shift from access over ownership will enable business owners around the world to experience significant financial, sustainable and social benefits. Asset sharing will be the key in development towards a more circular economy in the business-to-business environment.”
[hr]
[cta link="http://www.circle-economy.com/membership/" ]I'm a changemaker![/cta]
[hr]
A great synergy exists between SkyNRG and Circle Economy since both organisations are dedicated to build and encourage the development of sustainable business models. Together SkyNRG and Circle Economy will explore opportunities to make the aviation sector more circular.
SkyNRG takes up a pioneering position in realising a long-term sustainable future for the aviation industry. They are specialised in supplying sustainable jet fuel from waste streams like used cooking oil. This alternative source for conventional jet fuel can offer CO2 emission reductions of up to 80%, compared to fossil jet fuel. SkyNRG has already achieved great success in supplying their sustainable jet fuel for example to the customers within KLM's Corporate BioFuel Programme for example. This programme was launched in 2012 and offers KLM corporate clients to reduce their business travel footprint by flying on sustainable jet fuel.
“Circle Economy and SkyNRG both understand that in order to realise a circular economy, engagement of all stakeholders, including governments, businesses, industry and end-customers, is crucial. We are proud to be part of the Circle Economy network and look forward to a successful partnership.”- Maarten van Dijk, CEO SkyNRG
“We are very happy to have SkyNRG on board. As the global leader for sustainable jet fuel, they are in the position to accelerate the transition to the circular economy in a practical and scalable way, in particular in the very important airline industry, where much progress is to be made.”- Andy Ridley, CEO Circle Economy
The creation of products and services requires the use of resources in the form of materials, energy, and labour. As a product is produced value is added as more materials, energy, and labour are utilised in the production process. Once the product reaches its end-of-use however, the value created during the production process is almost completely lost due to current waste management practices. Resources that could otherwise be recycled and reused are simply disposed of or incinerated. As a result, more raw materials are required in order to meet the ever growing product needs of consumers.
High value reuse within a circular economy restores products and preserves resources that have reached their end-of-use back to their original state to deliver the same or even improved functions. In this way, the value of products are preserved, reducing the level of risk and costs associated with raw material price volatility and scarcity.
The aim of high value reuse is to preserve the value of materials by:
Special thanks to our panelists who provided great practical examples of how they have integrated high value reuse strategies to their business models!
Circle Economy’s quarterly Deep Dives on sector or industry based topics are part of the membership offering. They are an excellent way to meet with other members, share insights, learnings and real life issues on dedicated topics, and contribute to creating business opportunities between members.
Interested in becoming a member?
[cta link="http://www.circle-economy.com/membership/" ]click here[/cta]
https://vimeo.com/167694724
“This is the first generation of people who really understand climate change, and the last ones who can really do anything about it.” - Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, quoted by Dilys Williams, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion
For the three days, over 100 students, from 40 nations, gathered together in the dappled courtyards and halls of the The Royal Danish Academy to unpack and reinterpret the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Their mission was to devise seven demands on the fashion industry, which would be presented at the Concert Hall, only two days later.
This was no easy feat, especially for a diverse group of perfect strangers. As facilitator for the circularity working group, Project Manager of Circle Economy's Circle Textiles Team, Gwen Cunningham saw, first hand, how they grappled to come to terms with these complex topics during the intensive workshop days. The driving questions emerged; can the fashion industry be a vehicle for change? How can we harness it’s spark, it’s creativity and it’s omnipresence, to address issues surrounding the environment, climate change, ethics and workers’ rights and welfare.
What rang clear was the total, unanimous agreement that the fashion industry was due for a major overhaul and that this next generation has no interest in inheriting the industry, as is. Their passion and unwavering clarity on the need for change kept the energy at fever-pitch and translated into powerful statements of intent, that industry judges called ‘presidential’, ‘eloquent’ and ‘purposeful’.
Picture by Gianluca Mazzarolo from GM Creative Studio
“Thank you for the work you do- the students’ ideas are changing the game” - Angela Snow, Senior Director, Global Design, Culture and Community, Nike
During a productive evening of workshops, networking, and panel discussions including Claire Bergkamp, Head of Sustainability and Ethical Trade at Stella McCartney, Angela Snow, Senior Director of Global Design, Culture and Community and Nike and Caroline Kahn Manager of Product Sustainability at Nike three core take-aways emerged:
Picture by Gianluca Mazzarolo from GM Creative Studio
“This idea of a sustainable ‘journey’ is killing us. It’s not a journey, it’s a mission’ - Linda Greer, Scientist, National Resources Defence Council
Fighting Summit fatigue, we forged our way to the largest and the last event of the week; the Copenhagen Fashion Summit. Over 1.200 attendees, from 52 countries joined, including senior sustainability leaders from G-Star, Nike, Filippa K, Stella McCartney, H&M, as well as noted individuals such as Suzy Menkes, Renzo Rosso and Vanessa Friedman.
With such a vast and specialised audience, the risk of preaching to the converted was high. Nike and Patagonia emerged as clear highlights, sharing commitments to circular solutions, with Hannah Jones confessing that she ‘never knew she would love waste so much!”.
Livia Firth was a solid favourite too, bravely calling attention to the ‘elephant in the room’; the fast fashion business model on which we still depend. “Because the impact, the pace, the volume and the economics pre-ordained by this current business model – will not get us to the point we want to get to: one where producers are in partnership with brands, rather than in servitude to them.”
Yet as her passionate voice reverberated from the walls of the concert hall, we were left wondering where is the discussion in these moments? What good is a lone speaker at a lonely podium, when what’s desperately needed, and repeatedly called for throughout the course of the day, is industry collaboration, critical conversation and clear consensus?
Indeed, the highlight was the rallying cry of the next generation who boldly demanded change, and outlined solution-driven actions. You can read their entire manifesto here. May we not only listen and learn but take action.
Beyond Green is an annual symposium on the future of fashion, organised by Circle Economy and the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. It uses the collective power of students and industry players to tackle critical issues throughout the fashion system; allowing for new and established minds to come together and push the boundaries of what we know, and realize what we dare to imagine.
'Many companies want to take the next step in sustainability, but are not sure how to go about it. Beyond Green is a very necessary model that not only inspires industry to take action, but demonstrates what that action could look like through real business examples, and interactive workshops with students. The event got my adrenaline pumping and opened my eyes to new possibilities for my company'.
- Kirsten Zwart, Queen of Sourcing, Kings of Indigo
Photo credit throughout: Nina Albada Jelgersma
This first edition, held on the 13th of April, explored ‘The pace of the industry’, and challenged our polarized conceptions of 'fast' and 'slow' fashion. Do these terms refer to speed or quality? Does 'fast' necessarily mean unsustainable? How can 'slow' turn a healthy profit? Must we choose between them?
The first to arrive, toting backpacks packed with laptops and notebooks, eagar fashion students entered the room padded in comfortable layers, clutching coffee cups from the nearby Boterham cafe. Industry leaders promptly followed, appearing a bit lighter and less caffeinated - a mix of local entrepreneurs, notable brands and seasoned sustainability experts. As the curtains closed, seats were taken, and silence fell on the now, anticipatory audience.
What followed was an inspirational start to the day; Helene Smits (Founder, Stating the Obvious) took to the stage to introduce the day’s three keynote speakers, each seeking to explore ‘The Pace of the Industry’, the theme of this edition of Beyond Green.
‘The rhythm is self-inflicted. We can step out of the current system. There are other options to explore’
- Gwen Cunningham, Project Manager Circle Textiles, Circle Economy
Setting the context for what’s to come, Circle Economy’s Gwen Cunningham, began by showing a series of abstract images from photographer Aaron Tilley. These adrenaline-inducing scenes perfectly captured the critical moment of history that we find ourselves in. She explained, ‘we are moving away from a past that doesn’t work for us anymore, and freefalling into a future that is not yet defined’. We are challenged to use the adrenaline of such a moment- to feel the urgency to act and get ahead of the change. Gwen went on to outline five moments in the past year that have brought the topic of pace to the surface; Li Edelkoort’s ‘Anti-fashion Manifesto’; the departure of Raf Simons and Alber Elbaz; the impact of climate change on retail sales; the hijacking of fashion week by social media and the alignment of the runway and retail in the United States. In doing so, she posited that the time for change is ripe in the fashion Industry, that new rules apply, and that we can be a part of their making.
“In order to speed up the changes necessary in our industry and make those changes as relevant as possible, we need to collaborate with all stakeholders, both existing and future. Beyond Green brings all relevant parties together, and puts the right questions on the table. Discussing future solutions with students gives both insight and inspiration. Their views and perspective can help us to steer changes in the right direction, and make them more strategic and pertinent. Together we can transform and shape tomorrow’s fashion industry.”
- Elin Larsson, Director of Sustainability, Filippa K
Next up Elin Larsson, Director of Sustainability at Filippa K took to the stage to outline the company’s circular approach, which can be viewed as a new definition of ‘slow’:
The most striking and inspiring about Filippa K, is their bold trial and error approach. Their holistic plan of action has been achieved through multiple well-calculated baby steps, that add up to an impressive whole. Larsson so rightly stated, inertia is the biggest danger of all, and ‘once you are aware, either you do something about it or not, but you are still responsible.’
“Fast might not be the worst thing about fast fashion- it’s just the way that we organise it”
- Martijn van Strien, Founder, Post-Couture Collective
Lastly, Martijn van Strien, Founder of Post-Couture Collective, shared his vision for a ‘faster than fast’ approach, stating boldly that ‘sometimes fast is just better’. Post-Couture Collective offers an alternative to today’s fashion system, fuelled by an open-source mentality and 21st century technology, the company creates minimalist pieces that are specifically developed as downloadable patterns, to be produced on a lasercutter and assembled by the end user. While such a system could presumably encourage high speed, impulsive production and consumption, it also involves consumers in the production process of a garment and this experience has the potential to incite ‘emotional’ durability.
Van Strien’s media fuelled presentation, carried attendees through three variations of the topic; fast (the current state), faster (made to order, shared ownership, and maker movements) and fastest (body scanning, 3D printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality). He believes that “these methods will eventually allow us to create something new everyday, without having any damaging effects.
In the afternoon workshops, industry and students worked alongside each other to design future models for specific segments of the market, while considering the aforementioned challenges and opportunities that come with fast and slow models of production and consumption.
“Beyond Green was exciting because of the very inspirational speakers and the mix of people from the industry and fashion students. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with people with the same interest in sustainability and exchanging ideas and thoughts.”
- Jasmin Hammermayer, Fashion & Management student, AMFI
Expert external moderators and dedicated AMFI staff led vivid discussions and guided the participants using custom workshop materials. The result was a series of innovative business concepts ranging from the teen-oriented Vodaclothes, a fast fashion, lease-to-recycle brand included in your monthly phone bill to Wedenim, a members-only club, where basic, unisex denim is amended, treated and customized by local denim specialists, to tech-savvy Changeables, high-quality, durable clothing, equipped with downloadable nano printing technology.
To view the full length keynote presentations please use the video player below.
Special thanks to Nina Albada Jelgersma for capturing photos from this great event! Click on any of the photos below to check out the event photo gallery.
[gallery link="file" size="medium" ids="10450,10449,10448,10447,10446"]
On the 15th of March, .FABRIC and Circle Economy presented the intermediate results of a study on circular opportunities for the Flemish-Brussels metropolitan region during a workshop in the Bozar museum of Brussels. The project, commissioned by OVAM, aims at inspiring urban designers to take part in a larger program entitled Atelier BXL Productive Metropolis. The workshop was the third in a series of four so called ‘Urban Meetings’ of which the last will be held on June 2nd during the International Architecture Biennal Rotterdam (IABR) 2016.[caption id="attachment_10103" align="alignleft" width="212"]
Graphics made by .FABRIC and Circle Economy[/caption]The project Circulaire Ruimte - BXL started in December 2015 and is carried out by .FABRIC, Université Libre de Bruxelles and Circle Economy. The first phase of the project is focused on spatially mapping regional material flows – in particular construction waste, organic waste, water and freight – and identifying key impacts. For instance, the analysis shows that the value of organic waste is almost entirely lost due to incineration north of Brussels. The second phase consists of developing solutions based on circular economy strategies. For organic waste this could mean the introduction of new composting and biodigestion plants in and around the city – for example in Buda, an underused industrial site in the north of the city. Due to the mostly southern winds this location has more potential than sites in the south of Brussels.During the workshop on the 15th, the mapping and regional circular strategies were discussed amongst urban designers and external experts. New data, anecdotes, opportunities and challenges were added to finalize the maps. In the coming two months, the regional strategies will be translated into inspiring scenarios for ‘circularly’ redeveloping three specific sites in Brussels situated along the canal: Buda, Masui and Birmingham.Besides during the IABR 2016, the circular scenarios will be displayed this fall during an exhibition on sustainable urban development in the city of Brussels.
.svg)
