CIRCONNECT launches online platform that unlocks knowledge about circular design

Today CIRCONNECT launches the new online knowledge platform circular design. At www.circonnect.org, leading knowledge institutions, the design sector, industry associations, regional innovation parties and government organizations share knowledge and experiences gained about circular design. In this way they make this knowledge widely accessible to everyone and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Circular design is the driving force in a circular economy

The transition to a circular economy is urgent. Increasing resource scarcity and growing challenges around waste, nitrogen and CO2 emissions are increasingly pressing issues. Circular design is the driving force in the transition to a circular economy. Indeed, 80% of the environmental impact of products is determined in the design phase.

More and more companies and designers are working on circular products, services and business models. They are discovering that the circular transition is also economically attractive: it provides new opportunities. At the same time, the learning process is still in full swing. Parties are therefore looking for new knowledge and tools for their circular innovation processes. CIRCONNECT collects and enriches knowledge about everything in the field of circular design. This knowledge can then be used by anyone: from designers and entrepreneurs to policy makers, researchers and teachers. The new online platform is one of the channels that CIRCONNECT uses for this purpose.

From case studies to scientific publications

The website already contains nearly 100 knowledge posts on circular design. New knowledge items are added weekly. The offerings are broad and range from webinars on Product-as-a-Service business models or extended producer responsibility (UPV), to a training course on the circular design of electronics, a research report on wood waste and cases of entrepreneurs putting circular design into practice. Although the principles of circular design are cross-sectoral, there is specific focus on the main impact sectors: construction, consumer goods, plastics, manufacturing and food & agri.

Pieter van Os (CIRCO program manager):

A major challenge for CIRCONNECT is to bring knowledge from all these partners to designers and companies in an accessible way. There are a lot of thick reports and generally people don't feel like reading them. We tell them: this is what the report says and if you are working on this subject then that is what is useful to have.

Benefit from each other's knowledge and experiences

15 organizations have now united within CIRCONNECT. They share their knowledge and insights about circular design on the platform and with their supporters. These parties are:

Beroepsorganisatie Nederlandse Ontwerpers (BNO), Branchevereniging voor Meubelindustrie en Interieurbouw (CBM), CIRCO (a program of TKI-CLICKNL) , Hogeschool van Amsterdam, the Kennisinstituut Duurzaam Verpakken (KIDV), Midpoint Brabant, Noordelijk Innovatielab Circulaire Economie (N.I.C.E.), Federatie Nederlandse Rubber- en Kunststofindustrie (NRK), Oost NL, Provincie Overijssel, Rijkswaterstaat, TNO, TU Delft, Versnellingshuis Nederland circulair! and Zuyd Hogeschool.

Bart Ahsmann (CLICKNL director) emphasizes the value of CIRCONNECT:

CIRCONNECT is an important initiative. It is time to start sharing knowledge and experience gained about circular design widely. Knowledge that the creative industry can use in the development of circular business models. And from which all sectors and stakeholders can benefit.

Martin van Dord (Innovation coach NRK and ChemistryNL):

The circular plastics chain is the spearhead for us in the coming years. Designers (and engineers, constructors, etc.) play a major role in this because they determine whether or not a product is circular. The right knowledge, tools and connections are crucial for this and CIRCONNECT provides the platform for this. Our companies have extensive experience in chain collaboration and are happy to share their knowledge of the market, materials and processes. To work with designers to develop beautiful, useful products and to realize the circular plastic chain.