C2C v A Circular Economy - What’s The Difference?

Cradle to Cradle and the Circular Economy are two ways of imagining a future without waste.

I have put this summary together, I must admit with a little help from ChatGPT. As I was starting to question what actually is the difference between the two? Is The Circular Economy a rebranding of Cradle to Cradle? if you read the book mentioned below, which I have several times, and read the information on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation website re. a Circular Economy, which I have. Then you will find that there are numerous overlapping areas, sometimes pretty much identical. There’s also an infographic on the EMF website, a ‘Butterfly Image’ visualising The Circular Economy which is based on the Cradle to Cradle principles outlined by McDonough & Braungart, and gives reference to such. So I will put forward some of the findings and differences that I feel are fair, but this is just my opinion.

The two names are just a references at the end of the day and we seem to have to put a label on everything nowadays. Either way, they both offer a common sense approach to moving away from the Linear Economy Model which has been the norm for some time, (Make - Use - Discard). And for us as a population to become more considerate towards nature, it’s resources, and the product waste we create without safe disposal methods.

Cradle to Cradle began with a deep dive into how we design products - from the chemistry of the materials to the systems they fit into. The Circular Economy builds on this thinking, expanding it into businesses, energy, cities, and even food systems. At Aardelia, we lean toward the Cradle to Cradle vision: materials that nourish the earth or feed future products, products made to be used, refurbished and reused, and not creating problem waste.

The Origins of Cradle to Cradle

Coined and developed by William McDonough (architect) and Michael Braungart (chemist).
The book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things was published in 2002, but Braungart's thinking goes back to his work with Greenpeace in the 1980s.

Core Idea of Cradle to Cradle

Waste = food. Everything should either biodegrade safely or be endlessly upcycled in technical cycles.
Moves away from the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mindset and says: let’s design for abundance instead of minimizing harm.
Focuses heavily on material chemistry, product design, nutrient flows, and eco-effectiveness (not just efficiency).
It’s not about slowing damage - it’s about doing good.

Key Features of Cradle to Cradle

Products are made for disassembly and reuse of materials.
Strong focus on material health—nothing toxic or harmful should be in the cycle.
Thinks in biological vs technical nutrients - e.g., cotton can go back to soil; metals should go back into new products.

The Origins of A Circular Economy

Concept has many contributors over decades, but the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (founded 2010) has led modern advocacy.
More systemic and economic in language and scope -it’s aimed at business, policy, and industry.
Inspired partially by Cradle to Cradle, natural systems, industrial symbiosis, permaculture, etc.

Core Idea of A Circular Economy

Keep materials in use, design out waste, and regenerate natural systems.
CE acknowledges that recycling is a last resort, and prioritises better product and system design, much like C2C.

Key Features of A Circular Economy

Broader in application: from packaging to fashion to cities to food.
Aims for economic transformation, not just product design.
Less strict than C2C on material purity - more focused on closing loops, even if imperfectly.