Circular Snapshot: What a $3500 iPhone tells us about the circular economy

Building circular business models - where products are rented, repaired, resold and remade - is key to transforming our economy from a take, make, waste linear system, to a circular one. In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, we’re seeing what this looks like in practice with Canadian outdoor clothing and equipment company Arc’teryx.Pippa heads to Arc’teryx’s flagship store in London to learn how the business is bringing repair in-store. Seb speaks to Katie Wilson, the company’s Director of Social and Environmental Sustainability, to hear about the strategic decisions behind this pivot.In this episode hear about:How Arc’teryx’s in-store ReBIRD service centres work for the business and customersHow ReBIRD is fostering deeper customer loyalty and making products accessible to new customer basesThe strategic decisions behind Arc’teryx’s shift to circular business modelsThe operational hurdles of implementing circular business models at scaleArc’teryx is a participant in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Fashion ReModel. Listen to episode 187 to find out more about the demonstration project, or visit the website.Explore the guide to scaling circular business models for fashion leadersLearn more about ReBIRDThe Circular Economy Show will be back in a few weeks. Let us know what you’d like to hear more about in future episodes by leaving us a review, or emailing [email protected].

How do we keep clothes in use at their highest value and make money without having to make new clothes? In this episode of The Circular Economy Show, we explore the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s demonstration project, the Fashion ReModel, and hear from one of its participants: H&M Group.Pippa is joined by Chloe Holland from the Foundation’s fashion team to discuss how The Fashion ReModel participants are working to scale circular business models like resale, rental, repair, and remaking. We also hear from Sara Eriksson, Business expert, Circular business models at the H&M Group, a participant of The Fashion ReModel.Listen to this episode to hear about: The ambitions of The Fashion Remodel, including how its participants are embracing the long-term strategic advantages of circular business modelsSellpy, the H&M Group resale platformSome of the challenges of applying circular economy principles to fashion in a linear economy The role of policy and finance in making circular business models commercially viable at scaleFind out more about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s The Fashion ReModel.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.

In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, our guests Georgie Rose from Selfridges and Simon Davies from VISA tell us how they have been working together to find out.Collaborating with Mindworks Marketing to optimise messaging and branding for promoting circular shopping behaviours, Georgie and Simon discuss how their behavioural lab has been bridging the gap between customer intent and action.Listen to this episode to hear:How the behavioural lab initiative focuses on subtle language variations to influence customer behavior towards circularity How current efforts are focusing on beauty products to make refills as appealing as buying new ones How the initiative is working to embed circular shopping as a norm and make it more intuitive and excitingLearn more:Read ‘The marketing playbook for a circular economy’Don’t miss last week’s episode, Ep 185: How can marketers turn ideas into impactful action?Check out episode 176:  Driving demand for circular economy: What marketers need to knowMake sure you’re subscribed to the Circular Economy Show to find out about our future episodes on the marketing playbookIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.

For years, marketers have been helping to shape how consumers think and feel about products that are driving the linear economy. However in this episode of the Circular Economy Show, we explore how they can harness their skills to unlock the opportunities that the circular economy provides. We’re joined by experts Deb Caldow, Global Marketing Director at Diageo, and Rachel O’Reilly, Global Research Lead at Accenture Song. Their experiences provide an insight into how we can turn ideas into impactful actions that deliver both economic growth and environmental benefits.Join us to find out:How marketers are leveraging storytelling to inspire interest in circular productsWhy they should engage closely supply teams to ensure innovations align with market demandThe importance of internal buy-in and a willingness to experiment when scaling circular solutionsLearn more:Read the ‘The marketing playbook for a circular economy’.Check out episode 176,’ Driving demand for circular economy: What marketers need to know’ to hear more about the playbook with Kantar and Swapfiets.Make sure you’re subscribed to the Circular Economy Show to find out about our future episodes on the playbook.

In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, we explore the intersection between fashion, business, and technology - revealing why shoes are central to systemic innovation. Live from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Network event in Amsterdam, Kenny Arnold is joined by Dr Yuly Fuentes-Medel and Lewis Campbell from The Footwear Collective. Together, they unpack the urgent need for innovation and collaboration in the footwear industry.You’ll learn: What The Footwear Collective is doing to tackle industry roadblocks head-onHow success is measured by unprecedented collaboration, robust data collection, and active participation from rival companiesWhy their new tool will help companies pinpoint their next steps in their circular economy journeyExplore The Footwear Collective’s Circular Pathways tool https://thefootwearcollective.earthdna.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.

To truly transform the food system, we need retailers to sell food that enables nature to thrive.In this episode, learn how leading retailers from around the world are embracing circular design for food, and facing the challenges that occur on the journey.Our guests are Helly McAlister, Senior Buyer at Fortnum & Mason, and Susy Yoshimura, Senior Sustainability Director at Grupo Carrefour Brazil, two pioneering businesses from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Big Food Redesign Challenge.Find out:Why investing in circular design for food is a strategic move that defines the future of retailHow top retailers are cultivating customer demand for products that keep nature in mindThe fundamental importance of cross-team collaboration within organisationsIdeas for engaging suppliers and scaling circular economy initiatives far beyond pilot projectsUseful links:A guide to using circular design for food to build business resilienceExplore the products from the Big Food Redesign ChallengeEp 177: Beyond business as usual: Biodiversity, collaboration and visionary leadership in the food systemEp 179: How are small start-ups, SMEs, and large corporations working together to change the food system?

The circular economy is one of the most powerful tools we have to tackle the climate crisis—but you wouldn’t know it from the carbon accounts.In this episode, we’re joined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s João Murilo Silva Merico, who explains how current accounting frameworks—like the Greenhouse Gas Protocol—often fail to recognise or reward the emissions benefits of circular practices such as reuse, remanufacturing, and sharing models.You’ll hear:Why emissions reductions from circularity don’t show up where they shouldReal-world examples of how this distorts decision-makingWhat needs to change at a policy and reporting levelWhat businesses can do right now to align climate strategies with circular actionDownload the paper to find out more.  

The circular economy is no longer just a theory; it’s becoming a reality across an increasing number of sectors, from tech and materials to retail and marketing. In this episode, Seb shares four recent stories highlighting the importance of a circular economy across businesses.Join us to find out:-How rethinking product design could help future-proof tech such as iPhones-Why it’s necessary to increase global recycling rates of copper-How consumers are paying more attention to ads with a social or environmental theme-How one household name is adding digital product passports to their clothingHelp us spread the word about the circular economy, by giving us a review on Apple Podcasts, or leaving a comment on YouTube or Spotify.Mentioned in this episode:Hear more from Ke Wang on material security in a circular economy in episode 174Listen to the full conversation with Kantar’s Jonathan Hall on how marketers can drive demand for circular economy in episode 176Mashable: How much would the mythical made-in-the-U.S. iPhone cost?EurekAlert: The influence of copper recycling on prospective resource supply and carbon emission reductionSustainable Brands: In 10-Year Study of Most Effective Brand Campaigns, Sustainability Is a WinTrellis: Why Target is tagging 35 million pieces of clothing with digital IDs

In order to bring the circular economy to life, we need more circular economists. But what does that mean? Who might these circular economists be? And what are their opportunities and challenges?In this episode of the Circular Economy Show, we hear from “The Circular Economist”, Vojtech Vosecky, author of the newsletter The Loop. He has built his career around bringing the circular economy, working with stakeholders across innovation, business and policy. Listen to learn more about:How Vojtech got started on his journeyWhere he sees the greatest momentum in the circular economyWhat he thinks the big challenges are for circular economists todayFind out more about Vojtech’s work by following him on LinkedIn.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Big Food Redesign Challenge set out to demonstrate how redesigning products in line with circular economy principles, can create a food system that allows nature to thrive.In this episode, hear from one of those redesigners, Chloe Stewart from Nibs etc, alongside Katie Carson, Director of Corporate Affairs for Food and Climate Policy at Tetra Pak, to learn more about:The role of upcycled ingredients in designing brand new food productsThe challenges startups and SMEs face in the food industryThe importance of collaboration across the food industry to implement circular design for food principlesWhat enablers and resources are needed to scale food that keeps nature in mindHow larger organisations can support small start-ups and SMEs to foster innovationFind out more about the Big Food Redesign Challenge.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy.