From spring 2022 to summer 2023 I helped 6 members of the Irish Wood and Interiors Network (IWIN) explore the potential for circularity with upholstery textiles in their businesses.
The project was funded by the Environmental Projection Agency and involved furniture makers, mattress manufacturers and weavers.
As project co-ordinator Elaine was informative, sensitive with our information and very open and transparent in dealing with a group of companies of various sizes and interests.
She was able to get the best out of the group by challenging our thinking but also being insightful in pointing out the possibilities we had within our business. Her passion for what she is doing is clear and this means she was very interested in the outcome but also understood the commercial objectives.
She connected the dots from regulation to business models and was able to see a business case for each company. Not only was she able to lead each group members down the “sustainable path” but she was also pointing out the validity in pushing our companies in this direction.
We took a lot from our time with her as the group leader and would be happy to work with her again. Her networking capability within the wider ‘green’ industry was very helpful for us. Keeping all the companies on the same trajectory required huge perseverance and drive on her part.
Kilian Finane, Finline Furniture
Pilot Scope, Aims + Objectives
The goal of the project were to
- help companies design out waste and reduce their use of resources
- find opportunities to reuse waste and materials internally, or in collaboration with other companies
- identify and explore potential circular business models
- redesign products to be more circular
- upskill the wider furniture industry in Ireland on the circular economy
- identify how policy can best support industrial symbiosis and circularity in the Irish furniture and textile sector
Key Impacts
The table above summaries the potential carbon, material weight and financial savings for the project. These figures are projections because more time was needed post-project to apply for the necessary legal determinations in relation to by-product and waste reuse, and to fully test new business models and product redesigns.
The project delivered on all it’s key objectives on time and within budget.
Our Services on this Project
Initially I was contracted to support IWIN’s management of the project but after 6 months I was asked to take over the project completely. On the project I carried out the following tasks.
- Worked with the companies to find opportunities to design out waste, redesign products and identify appropriate circular business models.
- Explored avenues for by-product reuse both internally and externally.
- Connected participating companies with universities and others who could support their circular endeavours.
- Organised and facilitated regular networking event amongst the participating companies.
- Promoted the project and IWIN through lectures, press releases, social media posts and in an article on the challenges and solutions to circular upholstery textile and upholstered furniture
- Organised and chaired a public webinar about circular furniture production
- Compiled a final report for the funding organisation
- Compiled a policy briefing document, a research paper on industrial symbiosis, 3 business case studies, and a business plan for the project.
We have had the pleasure of working with Elaine for the last 18 months on the Circular Upholstery Textile (CUT) project. Elaine’s passion for the circular economy is not only infectious but she also combines this passion with a commercial lens. The CUT project enabled an industry collaborative approach to problem solving of how the Irish furniture industry can engage in circular activities to minimise waste, while also being commercially viable. Elaine has been the motivator and driver for this project and we look forward to working with her again in the future!
Enda McGonigle, Sofasource
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Elaine
Image Credit – Image is from the factory of Botany Weaving in Dublin 8
Circular Design Institute 