Projects
Below you will find a selection of projects that Circularista has been engaged in. The projects range from coaching single companies to managing larger project consortium to creating courses for universities. Circularista is mostly active in the building and textile industries, two sectors that are in deep need of change to more circular and sustainable processes.
Creating a circular strategy for real estate
Circularista's work
Circularista is developing Humlegården's strategy in circular economy. Including:
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Setting goals and forming new KPIs together with CSO and CFO
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Developing circularity principles and methodology for more circular building projects
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Developing a new way of measuring circularity and forming the first industry practice in Sweden for a comperehensive set of KPI:s within circular building
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Coaching and educating employees and external consultants such as architects, entrepreneurs and project managers in sustainable and circular design, architecture and processes
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Strategic support in the implementation of the strategy in circular building/renovation projects.
Results
The figure is from Humlegården Fastigheter AB
RESULTS - PROCESS AND GOALS
What?
Developed processes for how to conduct more circular building projects as well as come up with a methodology for how to measure how circular a project is.
How?
In the end of a project we measure two things:
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How well the project has followed the circularity principles and if the project reaches enough points - it is classed as circular!
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The output of the project through KPI:s linked to 9 circular economy goals that measure several dimensions of circularity such as material use, longevity and utility.
Goal:
In 2030, all renovation and new construction is built according to circular principles.
Read more about the circular strategy on Humlegården's web page
Read an interview about the work featuring Circularista here
Listen to a podcast about Humlegården's strategy featuring Circularista here
OUTCOME
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Humlegården can measure both execution and output of circularity efforts – creating the right incentives and guidance for change.
EFFECT
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Building projects that follow the circular methodology and are classed as circular have achieved up to 70% decrease in CO2 emissions and 60% decrease in material use compared to traditional (linear) projects
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The new circular principles and KPI:s enable compliance with EU taxonomy and CSRD reporting requirements, increasing transparency towards all stakeholders
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Circular KPI:s included in Sustainability Linked Financing enables improved financing possibilities.
The building industry accounts for
21 %
of CO2 emmissions in Sweden
Turning wasted wool into value on industrial scale
...All the while Swedish textile brands desperately seek for sustainable high quality materials...
...In the same year Swedish textile brands imported
1,745 tons
of wool...
In 2020
54%
of the Swedish wool was wasted...
Swedish Wool Initiative
The Swedish Wool Initiative is a project consortium formed to scale up the commerce and use of Swedish wool. The vision is that 0% of the Swedish wool goes to waste. The project is partly funded by Vinnova.
The Swedish wool is a regionally produced, biobased, recyclable, durable material that could facilitate the transformation to a more sustainable and circular textile industry. However, there is both a lack of infrastructure to collect and sort the Swedish wool and a lack of a uniformed way of categorising the wool in homogenous qualities for sale.
The project aims to build capacity in the value chain processes such as infrastructure, classification, digital traceability and a framework for enabling circularly designed Swedish wool products.
Results
Project partners increased their use of Swedish wool in production over 13 times between 2019 and 2021, from 4,5 tons to over 60 tons.
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A wool broker role for centralised collection and quality assurance is being developed in order to bridge the gap between wool producers and industry.
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More new, innovative prototypes based on circular design principles made of Swedish wool has been developed. Among other things a yarn made from Swedish wool that was previously discarded.
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A sustainability analysis of Swedish wool showed that Swedish wool production can result in decreased climate impact in comparison to wool production in other countries.
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A standard for Swedish wool has been launched ensuring quality in each step from production to sales. The standard includes the first ever classification system for Swedish wool. The standard facilitates the trade of wool in homogenous qualities in large volumes.
The brands that participate in the project use 13 times more wool now in comparison to before the start of The Swedish Wool Initiative
INSIGHTS
The right market mechanisms are necessary to enable the use of materials that previously was discarded. The material broker will probably play a crucial role in many industries for a circular flow of materials and products to evolve. In a similar way, standards and classification systems can enable categorizing material and their condition, no matter if it is material that previously has not been traded (ie wasted) or if it is already used materials being introduced to new use cycles.
Circularista's work
Circularista has been supporting Axfoundation in managing the project including:
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Support in writing the application for funding, setting up budget and coordinating stakeholders
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Providing expertise in circular economy
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Researching all aspects of wool markets around the world, for example how wool is traded nationally and internationally, how wool should be cut and treated in production, the different caracteristics of specific types of wool and possible applications of it. In order to identify bottlenecks and possibilities of scaling the trade of Swedish wool as well as forming a classification system
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Co-wrote the first ever industrial scale classification system for Swedish wool with the purpose of facilitating the trade of the raw material
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Wrote a chapter for
Project Partners
Norrby Gård
Course - Design in Circular AI Based Services
The course
Circularista has developed a course in circular economy and AI together with Pontus Wärneståhl his will probably be the firs course ever(?) that combines AI with resource- and innovation strategies for developing circular business models.
In the course Circularista shares her expertise from working with, and researching in, circularity since 2017, and together with professor and AI Design Expert Pontus Wärneståhl, we elaborate on how AI can be a powerful tool to enable business success within the planetary boundaries.
Apart from explaining circular economy, Circularista introduces concepts such as systems thinking, regenerative businesses and green growth while discussing new metrics that considers both planet, people and profit. To add, Circularista introduces Nancy Bocken and Paavo Ritala's six ways to build circular business models (2021) and then Pontus discusses how AI can facilitate and enable the shift based on that methodology.
The course will teach professionals about:
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The first steps in designing circular business models
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How AI could be used for optimising circular business models
See the short course intro here
The aim is to provide you with an overview of, and inspire you to dig deeper in, how companies can enable the transition while also utilising powerful tools such as AI to enhance value for both customers and businesses without harming - and even giving back more, than you take from- people and planet.
The course is 3 credits and free of charge. You can read more and see course dates on Maistr web site
Piloting Digital Product Passports in Textile
Project brief
This project aims to investigate the development, opportunities, and challenges of a Digital Product Passport (DPP) in textiles by creating a real-time pilot.
The pilot will be in line with the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles that calls for DPPs to be mandatory on textiles sold in Europe by 2030. The goal of the DPP is to encourage sustainable production, enable the transition to a circular economy, and help consumers make more sustainable choices.
The Trace4Value DPP will be tested through tagging selected Kappahl and Marimekko pilot products in production with an ID carrier on the products that stores prioritized supply chain and transparency data. Then, through a QR code, product information can be accessed instantly using a mobile device. The DPP will be based on current global standards to ensure interoperability and seamless information sharing with all stakeholders in the value chain. Read more about the project here and here.
Results
One of the key deliverables in the project is the Data Protocol which identifies data needs and enable information sharing. The protocol includes:
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structure and categorisation of data attributes based on standards
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identified data needs based on brands- and consumer requirements, DPP guidance from the EU and relevant policies.
Download the data protocol here
Circularista's work
Circularista supports Trustrace in managing the project
and is responsible for forming; project plan, scope and budget, project management, providing circular expertise, conducting research and forming requirements for designing and developing the data protocol, the interfaces and technical architecture.
Project Partners
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Trace4Value
The Trace4Value project brings together partners from several industries to tackle the complex challenge of sustainable system transformation and the shift to climate-neutral and circular production with resource-efficient and resilient value chains. With over 65 partners acrocc industries, Trace4Value is partly funded by Sweden’s Innovation Agency Vinnova, coordinated by RISE. Read more about Trace4Value here.
Quick facts about the textile industry
