A Circular Economy
Most of us are familiar with the idea of recycling. But the Circular Economy goes much further than tossing things in our recycling bins.
It’s about reimagining the entire system - from the way products are designed and materials are sourced, to how we use, reuse, and regenerate them. Rather than taking resources, making things, and throwing them away (the traditional linear model), the circular economy keeps materials in continuous use.
More Than Recycling
Recycling is often the last resort in a circular economy. The aim is to design out waste in the first place, using materials that are safe, renewable, and easy to recover. That includes:
Designing products for durability, reuse, and repair
Creating systems for take-back, refill, or regeneration
Re-imagining supply chains for marketeers
Switching to clean energy across production and transport
Rethinking packaging and delivery methods
Supporting regenerative agriculture, not extractive farming
Beyond Products: Circular Business
Circular thinking isn’t just for products. It’s a strategy for business, cities, food systems, and energy, aiming to decouple growth from environmental harm. Whether it's urban planning, textile recycling, biomaterials, or solar-powered supply chains, the circular economy offers a vision for long-term sustainability.
Want to Go Deeper?
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has led much of the thinking in this space. Their website offers fantastic resources, examples, and toolkits:
Why It Matters to Aardelia
At Aardelia, we take inspiration from the circular mindset - choosing materials that last, making products that can be taken apart and reused, and thinking about what happens at the end of a product’s life, right from the beginning. It's not always easy, sometimes a little more expensive, but it is necessary.
Circular isn’t just a loop - it’s a challenge to redesign everything for better outcomes.