We’re starting to see more and more long-term, system focused policy statements coming from Europe like the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, published in March of this year, which states that
‘By 2030 textile products placed on the EU market are long-lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment. Consumers benefit longer from high quality affordable textiles, fast fashion is out of fashion, and economically profitable re-use and repair services are widely available. In a competitive, resilient and innovative textiles sector, producers take responsibility for their products along the value chain, including when they become waste. The circular textiles ecosystem is thriving, driven by sufficient capacities for innovative fibre-to-fibre recycling, while the incineration and landfilling of textiles is reduced to the minimum.’
You can assume that similar goals will be applied to other products and materials heralding a bright future for companies prepared for the requisite changes and chaos for those that are not.
This month’s sustainable / circular business news ….
According to Deloitte “unchecked climate change could cost the global economy US$178 trillion in net present value terms from 2021–2070.” By contrast, responding appropriately to the climate emergency sets the scene for future prosperity, creating US$43 trillion in value between 2021 and 2070.
Interesting short guide to Circular Accounting from Dutch organisation Circle Economy
An short, though-provoking letter from a B-corp questioning the credibility of the label
An excellent example of a sustainability plan from Screen Ireland
Norway declare that it is illegal to quote Higg data on clothing consumer labels
Fashion brand G-Star is encouraging customers to buy less of their products with their new ad
M&S trials refillable own-brand homecare products in the UK
New US law requires suppliers to prove their products are free of forced labour
How certification schemes and voluntary initiatives are fuelling fossil fashion
eBay releases methodology for calculating environmental and financial benefits of recommerce
With Zara introducing a charge for returns how can retailers handle returns sustainably?
“If they’re not changing their business model, [clothing resale] is not actually more sustainable”, says Nicole Bassett, co-founder of The Renewal Workshop in this article by Vogue
An interesting sofa designed for disassembly and made from 95% recycled components from Gispen
In the most recent briefing note on EU Timber Regulation and on sourcing
of deforestation-free commodities, it was stated that operators must refrain from placing on the EU market all timber and timber-derived products originating from Belarus or the Russian Federation, including timber and timber products exported via third countries.
100metre tall wooden frame residential building to be built in Zurich will be the World’s tallest wooden building when completed in 2026
A compilation of some of the most stunning green buildings around the world
ATU in Galway are now offering a Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Circular Economy Leadership for the Built Environment
Retrofitting centre of excellence opens in Limerick
A fascinating project with engineering practice Buro Happold looking at the power of indigenous structural design
A recent study estimated that material efficiency use could cut emissions from cars and homes by at least a third
MIT engineers use robotics and AI to integrate tree forks into timber construction
Cambridge engineers invent world’s first zero emissions cement
The 50,000 photovoltaic panels topping Google’s new 100,000 m² office in California are made from printable, flexible ‘dragonscale solar skin’ with a textured glass coating that traps additional light, generating roughly 40% percent of the building’s energy needs.
Volvo will be the world’s first truck maker to use fossil-free steel, due to take place in the third quarter of 2022.
In the United States, the world’s second largest car market, an electric car is now cheaper on a monthly basis than a comparable gasoline car in almost every state (once financing, taxes, maintenance and fuel costs are included)
Electric vehicles of all types are already displacing about 1.5 million barrels of oil a day worldwide. Most of that is from electric two and three-wheelers and electric buses in China. Thanks to all those batteries, 3.4% of global transport oil demand is now gone. Bloomberg
Oyika is speeding up the electrification of scooters by facilitating a frictionless pay-as-you-use battery rental service
The Squad car is designed to offer 100% fossil-fuel-free transport in cities. It runs entirely on solar energy and has a max of 45 km/h or 70 km/h L7 depending on the model.
Global tyre manufacturer Uptis has a multi-year plan, to create a tyre that is airless, connected, 3D-printed and made entirely of materials that can be melted down and re-used.
New York company Amogy converts vehicles to run on zero waste ammonia
Polyformer is an open-source machine that recycles plastic bottles into 3D printing filament
Maana Electric is a mobile factory that fits inside a shipping container and can make solar panels with only two inputs; sand and energy
The furniture company Vestre’s new Passivhaus factory uses 90% less energy than a standard factory
If you’d like to discuss how any of these developments will impact your business feel free to get in touch via our contact page.
Elaine
Circular Design Institute 