What is Circular ?

Romain Pilliard
Founder and skipper
Founder of "Use It Again!", a foundation aiming to develop the circular economy.
What is circular?
Circularity is about life. A circular economy is the exact opposite of our most common linear economy as it takes into consideration the fact that everything we produce is bound to come back to nature. In a perfect circular economic model, any final waste must ultimately become a new resource.
How do we integrate the principles of a circular economy in our daily lives?
The key principles of the circular economy must become a central part of the life of companies and individuals. First, each individual or each element must contribute to closing the loop. At home, you should decrease any wasteful consumption, especially in terms of clothes, electronics, and food packaging. Second, re-utilization is crucial in order to avoid increasing the demand for new products: Buy recycled products as much as possible.
How do we migrate from a linear to a circular economy?
Change will come from manufacturers as they adopt the right circular production principles, but individuals have the power to trigger that change by applying pressure as consumers. Company owners must think about ways to transform their businesses and their manufacturing facilities. Startup founders will also have to apply circular principles to their design-thinking. Today, all stakeholders must keep in mind that they have a responsibility to influence the products that are being launched on the market.
Is a circular economy profitable?
Yes, it is. If you are still oriented by a linear economy, you might see circularity as a difficult change to implement. However, if you are oriented by a circular economic model, you should consider it a huge opportunity.