The fashion system is contributing to the environmental and social crises on an ever increasing scale. The industry must transform in order to situate itself within the environmental and social limits proposed by economist Kate Raworth, and the 17 sustainable development goals set out by the United Nations. This research explored methods of eliminating textile waste through utilising zero waste pattern cutting to expand the outcomes possible within industrial contexts and speculates as to the implications for the wider industry and society. Employing an experimental and phenomenological approach, this thesis outlines the testing of known strategies in the context of industry and responds with new emergent strategies to the challenges that arose. A series of interviews were conducted with designers who have applied zero-waste fashion design in an industry context – both large and small scale – to unpack the strategies used and contextualise the difficulties faced. The findings that emerged from the iterative design practice and the experience of working within the field tests inform the surrounding discussions and reflections. This reflection brings into sharp relief the inherent conflicts that exist within the fashion system and has led to the development of a series of theoretical models.The implications for design and industry are broad. Firstly that while this thesis outlines garment design strategies, and broader – company-wide – approaches that can work to reduce waste in a given context, this research finds that a holistic transformation of the internal design and management processes of the industry is required for them to be successful. In response, theoretical models have been developed which seek to articulate the constraints, roles and actions of design within broader company practices, while contextualising these within the economic system it operates. It is clear that reducing waste will only have a minor positive effect on the environmental outcomes unless we also reduce consumption of raw materials through reducing yield or reducing consumption – ideally both. These findings and models point towards a necessary recalibration of the industry as a whole – small changes are not enough as the existing methods, processes and ethos are deeply embedded, and its agents are resistant to change. The results concur with previous research and conclude that a fundamental shift in thinking is required – one that prioritises a different set of constraints to those the industry and society currently focus on – in order to make the rapid and meaningful change necessary.

Fatores como a volatilidade de preço de commodities, escassez de recursos, e sinais cada vez maiores de desigualdades sociais abrem espaço para diversas esferas da sociedade explorarem formas mais efetivas e sistêmicas de se fazer negócio. A economia circular tem como objetivo propor valores que possam ser gerados através de atividades agregadoras de valor; prolongados por mais tempo por meio de utilização de formas de desacelerar e fechar ciclos; capturados e distribuídos para uma diversidade de stakeholders através dos benefícios advindos do modelo circular. Entretanto, a literatura carece de referências que auxilie a identificar os valores que o modelo circular possibilita capturar e para quais stakeholders esses valores serão distribuídos. Assim, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo propor um guia para a identificação de oportunidades de valor no contexto da economia circular. A metodologia utilizada para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa foi a Design Research Methodology (DRM) que elenca quatro etapas principais: clarificação da pesquisa (visão da realidade atual da área de pesquisa por meio de conhecimento e entendimento inicial do tema de pesquisa); estudo descritivo I (revisão bibliográfica sistemática e exploratória sobre os temas economia circular, valor, cadeia de valor e stakeholders); estudo prescritivo (desenvolvimento da proposta para resolver o problema); e estudo descritivo II (realização de estudos empíricos para avaliar a proposta). Seguindo os conceitos de gamestorming o guia foi sistematizado resultando em sua primeira versão. Sendo composto pelas etapas: entender, explorar, alinhar, mapear e analisar. Em seguida, esta primeira versão do guia foi avaliada através da realização de um estudo de caso exploratório em uma empresa que adota práticas de economia circular, com o intuito de identificar a rede valor das organizações e as oportunidades de valor circular. Por fim, o guia foi revisado e melhorado, resultando na versão final. Esta pesquisa contribuiu para a teoria e para a prática relacionada ao tema economia circular, ao propor um guia, com base cientifica, ao passo que apresenta uma nova forma para identificar oportunidades de valor que suporte a melhoria do sistema circular. / Factors such as commodity price volatility, scarcity of resources, and increasing signs of social inequalities open space for diverse spheres of society to explore more effective and systemic ways of doing business. The circular economy aims to propose values that can be generated throught value-adding activities; for longer periods by using ways to decelerate and close cycles; captured and distributed to a wide diversity of stakeholders through the benefits derived from the circular model. However, the literature lacks references that help identify the values that the circular model allows to capture and to which stakeholders these values will distributed. Despite this, the works that approach this subject are almost null. Thus, this research aims to propose a guide for the identification of opportunities of value in the context of circular economy. The methodology utilized to the development of this research was the Design Research Methodology (DRM), which covers four main stages: clarification of the research (current reality view of the research area through knowledge and initial understanding of the research topic); descriptive study I (exploratory and systematic bibliographic review about the themes circular economy, value, value chain and stakeholders); prescriptive study (development of the proposal to solve the problems); and descriptive study II (realization of empirical studies to evaluate the proposal). Following the concepts of gamestorming the guide has been systematized resulting in its first version, which is composed of four steps: understand, explore, aling, map, and analyse. Then the guide was evaluated by conducting an exploratory case study in a company that adopts circular economy practices, with the aim of identifying the value network of organizations and the opportunities of circular value. Finally, the guide was revised and improved, resulting in the final version. This research contributed to the theory and practice related to the subject circular economy, by proposing a guide, based on scientific, while presenting a new way to identify the opportunities of value that supports the improvement of the circular system.

A transição entre o modelo econômico linear para o circular constitui-se como um processo complexo que exige o envolvimento de diversos atores: empresas, cidadãos, organizações, agências de inovação e autoridades públicas os quais devem atuar de maneira articulada e conectada. Dessa forma, políticas públicas são elementos habilitadores essenciais para a economia circular (EC) e diversos governos não apenas nacionais, mas regionais e locais, vem elaborando estratégias direcionadas ao fomento de princípios da EC, por meio de instrumentos de políticas públicas. Assim, objetivo geral do trabalho é analisar as políticas públicas, em nível internacional e nacional, as quais se relacionam e possam colaborar com a transição do modelo econômico linear para o circular. A partir de um levantamento bibliográfico e documental, foram identificados e analisados 15 documentos, frutos da iniciativa do setor público, e seus instrumentos classificados e comparados. Tratando do cenário nacional, a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS), instituída pela Lei nº 12.305 de 02 de agosto de 2010, foi selecionada como a política nacional mais representativa, no contexto atual, capaz de trazer avanços a caminho da circularidade no país. A PNRS determina como um dos princípios a responsabilidade compartilhada, e estabelece os Sistemas de Logística Reversa como instrumentos, os quais atuam sobre o ciclo de vida de produtos e serviços, capazes de prolongar e fechar ciclos, reduzindo a quantidade de resíduos gerados. Dessa forma, a partir das publicações analisadas, foi possível observar os principais instrumentos sendo empregados atualmente. Assim como o caráter majoritário de publicações acadêmicas originadas da China, pioneira na elaboração de uma lei exclusiva à EC, e como estratégias no continente europeu surgiram intensamente a partir de 2015 principalmente, em decorrência do Plano de Ação para Economia Circular da União Europeia. Consolidando o papel fundamental de políticas nas tomadas de medidas que privilegiem a circularidade. / The transition from the linear to the circular economic model is a complex process that requires the involvement of several actors as companies, citizens, organizations, innovation agencies and public authorities which must act in an articulated and connected way. Therefore public policies are essential enablers for the circular economy (CE), and several governments, not only national but regional and local, have been developing strategies to promote the principles of the CE, through public policy instruments. Thus, the general objective of the research is to analyze public policies at the international and national levels, which are related and can contribute to the transition from the linear to the circular economic model. From a bibliographical and documentary research, 15 documents were identified and analyzed, as a result of the initiative of the public sector, and their instruments were classified and compared. Regarding the national scenario, the National Solid Waste Policy, instituted by Law No. 12,305 of August 2, 2010, was chosen as the most representative national policy in the current context, capable of bringing advances towards circularity in the country, determining the principle of shared responsibility, and establishing the Reverse Logistics System as instruments, which act on the life cycle of products and services, capable of extending and closing cycles, reducing the amount of waste generated. Thus, from the analyzed publications, it was possible to observe the main instruments currently being used. Just as the majority of academic publications originating in China, pioneering the drafting of an exclusive law to the circular economy, and how strategies on the European continent have emerged intensely since 2015 mainly as a result of the European Union\'s Circular Economy Action Plan. Consolidating the fundamental role of policies in developing measures that enable circularity.

A transição entre o modelo econômico linear para o circular constitui-se como um processo complexo que exige o envolvimento de diversos atores: empresas, cidadãos, organizações, agências de inovação e autoridades públicas os quais devem atuar de maneira articulada e conectada. Dessa forma, políticas públicas são elementos habilitadores essenciais para a economia circular (EC) e diversos governos não apenas nacionais, mas regionais e locais, vem elaborando estratégias direcionadas ao fomento de princípios da EC, por meio de instrumentos de políticas públicas. Assim, objetivo geral do trabalho é analisar as políticas públicas, em nível internacional e nacional, as quais se relacionam e possam colaborar com a transição do modelo econômico linear para o circular. A partir de um levantamento bibliográfico e documental, foram identificados e analisados 15 documentos, frutos da iniciativa do setor público, e seus instrumentos classificados e comparados. Tratando do cenário nacional, a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS), instituída pela Lei nº 12.305 de 02 de agosto de 2010, foi selecionada como a política nacional mais representativa, no contexto atual, capaz de trazer avanços a caminho da circularidade no país. A PNRS determina como um dos princípios a responsabilidade compartilhada, e estabelece os Sistemas de Logística Reversa como instrumentos, os quais atuam sobre o ciclo de vida de produtos e serviços, capazes de prolongar e fechar ciclos, reduzindo a quantidade de resíduos gerados. Dessa forma, a partir das publicações analisadas, foi possível observar os principais instrumentos sendo empregados atualmente. Assim como o caráter majoritário de publicações acadêmicas originadas da China, pioneira na elaboração de uma lei exclusiva à EC, e como estratégias no continente europeu surgiram intensamente a partir de 2015 principalmente, em decorrência do Plano de Ação para Economia Circular da União Europeia. Consolidando o papel fundamental de políticas nas tomadas de medidas que privilegiem a circularidade. / The transition from the linear to the circular economic model is a complex process that requires the involvement of several actors as companies, citizens, organizations, innovation agencies and public authorities which must act in an articulated and connected way. Therefore public policies are essential enablers for the circular economy (CE), and several governments, not only national but regional and local, have been developing strategies to promote the principles of the CE, through public policy instruments. Thus, the general objective of the research is to analyze public policies at the international and national levels, which are related and can contribute to the transition from the linear to the circular economic model. From a bibliographical and documentary research, 15 documents were identified and analyzed, as a result of the initiative of the public sector, and their instruments were classified and compared. Regarding the national scenario, the National Solid Waste Policy, instituted by Law No. 12,305 of August 2, 2010, was chosen as the most representative national policy in the current context, capable of bringing advances towards circularity in the country, determining the principle of shared responsibility, and establishing the Reverse Logistics System as instruments, which act on the life cycle of products and services, capable of extending and closing cycles, reducing the amount of waste generated. Thus, from the analyzed publications, it was possible to observe the main instruments currently being used. Just as the majority of academic publications originating in China, pioneering the drafting of an exclusive law to the circular economy, and how strategies on the European continent have emerged intensely since 2015 mainly as a result of the European Union\'s Circular Economy Action Plan. Consolidating the fundamental role of policies in developing measures that enable circularity.

Fatores como a volatilidade de preço de commodities, escassez de recursos, e sinais cada vez maiores de desigualdades sociais abrem espaço para diversas esferas da sociedade explorarem formas mais efetivas e sistêmicas de se fazer negócio. A economia circular tem como objetivo propor valores que possam ser gerados através de atividades agregadoras de valor; prolongados por mais tempo por meio de utilização de formas de desacelerar e fechar ciclos; capturados e distribuídos para uma diversidade de stakeholders através dos benefícios advindos do modelo circular. Entretanto, a literatura carece de referências que auxilie a identificar os valores que o modelo circular possibilita capturar e para quais stakeholders esses valores serão distribuídos. Assim, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo propor um guia para a identificação de oportunidades de valor no contexto da economia circular. A metodologia utilizada para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa foi a Design Research Methodology (DRM) que elenca quatro etapas principais: clarificação da pesquisa (visão da realidade atual da área de pesquisa por meio de conhecimento e entendimento inicial do tema de pesquisa); estudo descritivo I (revisão bibliográfica sistemática e exploratória sobre os temas economia circular, valor, cadeia de valor e stakeholders); estudo prescritivo (desenvolvimento da proposta para resolver o problema); e estudo descritivo II (realização de estudos empíricos para avaliar a proposta). Seguindo os conceitos de gamestorming o guia foi sistematizado resultando em sua primeira versão. Sendo composto pelas etapas: entender, explorar, alinhar, mapear e analisar. Em seguida, esta primeira versão do guia foi avaliada através da realização de um estudo de caso exploratório em uma empresa que adota práticas de economia circular, com o intuito de identificar a rede valor das organizações e as oportunidades de valor circular. Por fim, o guia foi revisado e melhorado, resultando na versão final. Esta pesquisa contribuiu para a teoria e para a prática relacionada ao tema economia circular, ao propor um guia, com base cientifica, ao passo que apresenta uma nova forma para identificar oportunidades de valor que suporte a melhoria do sistema circular. / Factors such as commodity price volatility, scarcity of resources, and increasing signs of social inequalities open space for diverse spheres of society to explore more effective and systemic ways of doing business. The circular economy aims to propose values that can be generated throught value-adding activities; for longer periods by using ways to decelerate and close cycles; captured and distributed to a wide diversity of stakeholders through the benefits derived from the circular model. However, the literature lacks references that help identify the values that the circular model allows to capture and to which stakeholders these values will distributed. Despite this, the works that approach this subject are almost null. Thus, this research aims to propose a guide for the identification of opportunities of value in the context of circular economy. The methodology utilized to the development of this research was the Design Research Methodology (DRM), which covers four main stages: clarification of the research (current reality view of the research area through knowledge and initial understanding of the research topic); descriptive study I (exploratory and systematic bibliographic review about the themes circular economy, value, value chain and stakeholders); prescriptive study (development of the proposal to solve the problems); and descriptive study II (realization of empirical studies to evaluate the proposal). Following the concepts of gamestorming the guide has been systematized resulting in its first version, which is composed of four steps: understand, explore, aling, map, and analyse. Then the guide was evaluated by conducting an exploratory case study in a company that adopts circular economy practices, with the aim of identifying the value network of organizations and the opportunities of circular value. Finally, the guide was revised and improved, resulting in the final version. This research contributed to the theory and practice related to the subject circular economy, by proposing a guide, based on scientific, while presenting a new way to identify the opportunities of value that supports the improvement of the circular system.

abstract: The built environment is responsible for a significant portion of global waste generation. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste requires significant landfill areas and costs billions of dollars. New business models that reduce this waste may prove to be financially beneficial and generally more sustainable. One such model is referred to as the “Circular Economy” (CE), which promotes the efficient use of materials to minimize waste generation and raw material consumption. CE is achieved by maximizing the life of materials and components and by reclaiming the typically wasted value at the end of their life. This thesis identifies the potential opportunities for using CE in the built environment. It first calculates the magnitude of C&D waste and its main streams, highlights the top C&D materials based on weight and value using data from various regions, identifies the top C&D materials’ current recycling and reuse rates, and finally estimates a potential financial benefit of $3.7 billion from redirecting C&D waste using the CE concept in the United States. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2019

The U.N. projects the world population to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050, which will cause demand for manufactured goods to reach unforeseen levels. In order for us to produce the goods to support an equitable future, the methods in which we manufacture those goods must radically change. The emerging Circular Economy (CE) concept for production systems has promised to drastically increase economic/business value by significantly reducing the world’s resource consumption and negative environmental impacts. However, CE is inherently limited because of its emphasis on recycling and reuse of materials. CE does not address the holistic changes needed across all of the fundamental elements of manufacturing: products, processes, and systems. Therefore, a paradigm shift is required for moving from sustainment to sustainability to “produce more with less” through smart, innovative and transformative convergent manufacturing approaches rooted in redesigning next generation manufacturing infrastructure. This PhD research proposes the Helical Economy (HE) concept as a novel extension to CE. The proposed HE concepts shift the CE’s status quo paradigm away from post-use recovery for recycling and reuse and towards redesigning manufacturing infrastructure at product, process, and system levels, while leveraging IoT-enabled data infrastructures and an upskilled workforce. This research starts with the conceptual overview and a framework for implementing HE in the discrete product manufacturing domain by establishing the future state vision of the Helical Economy Manufacturing Method (HEMM). The work then analyzes two components of the framework in detail: designing next-generation products and next-generation IoT-enabled data infrastructures. The major research problems that need to be solved in these subcomponents are identified in order to make near-term progress towards the HEMM. The work then proceeds with the development and discussion of initial methods for addressing these challenges. Each method is demonstrated using an illustrative industry example. Collectively, this initial work establishes the foundational body of knowledge for the HE and the HEMM, provides implementation methods at the product and IoT-enabled data infrastructure levels, and it shows a great potential for HE’s ability to create and maximize sustainable value, optimize resource consumption, and ensure continued technological progress with significant economic growth and innovation. This research work then presents an outlook on the future work needed, as well as calls for industry to support the continued refinement and development of the HEMM through relevant prototype development and subsequent applications.

Textilindustrin är en av världens mest förorenade industrier idag. Fast fashion företag uppmuntrar konsumenter till ökade köp genom sina låga priser. Förr handlade människor nya kläder vid behov, till skillnad från idag då många konsumerar efter begär. Att textilindustrin har stor påverkan på miljön är många väl medvetna om, men för att de ska kunna ske en förändring måste både konsumenter och företag vidta de åtgärder som krävs. Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka slutfasen i den textila värdekedjan. I denna avhandling kommer fenomenet upcycling att studeras och ifrågasättas som en lösning till textilavfall. Upcycling innebär att förlänga livet på ett förbrukat plagg, vilket är en vidareutveckling på en cirkulär ekonomi. Under denna studie har all kontakt med branschfolk varit inom Sverige och arbetet har huvudsakligen tagit plats i Göteborg och Borås. Frågeställningarna har utforskat för- och nackdelarna med upcycling, dessutom har en utvald målgrupp granskats via enkäter för att se deras inställning till ämnet. Resterande information har hämtats från intervjuer samt tidigare forskning. Studien upptäckte vissa svårigheter med att applicera upcycling på sin affärsmodell. Den största utmaningen som belystes var tidsåtgången, problemet kan leda till höga arbetskostnader och ökat konsumentpris. De fördelarna som upcycling bidrar med är att råmaterial och ohälsosamma arbetsförhållanden går att uteslutna. Dessutom kan konsumenten köpa plagg utan att påverka miljön negativt, detta skapar en cirkulär ekonomi. Denna studie görs ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv och kommer att granska ett nytt möjligt tillvägagångssätt för avfallshantering, vilket gör att den kommer att avgränsa från recycling samt kläduthyrning. Studien kommer inte göra en ekonomisk fördjupning utan endast ta upp grundläggande ekonomiska aspekter. / The textile industry has become one of the most polluting industries in the world. Low prices and fast fashion increasing globally has developed a habit of consuming for leisure and not for needs. The awareness of the textile industry's environmental impact is well spoken about, but now consumers and companies need to take action to make a change. The purpose of this study has been to research the end stages of the textile loop, can textile waste turn into new fashionable clothes? In this thesis the phenomena upcycling will be explained, the advantages it brings to the positive impact on the climate justice. Upcycling means adding value to a garment in its last phase to avoid turning into waste, the business model is used to close the loop. During the phase of this thesis all contact with professionals has been within Swedish borders and the major part of this work has been based in Gothenburg and Borås. The main focus has been to explore the benefits and the difficulties with upcycling. Society’s knowledge and attitude is towards upcycling has been explored with the help of interviews and surveys as well as previous studies. The study discovers the difficulties with applying upcycling to its business model, the main problem is consumption of time, which can cause high labor costs and increase the stock price. The benefits that follows from upcycling is that raw material and bad working conditions can be excluded, it has the ability to close the loop and create a circular economy. This study is made from a perspective of sustainability, but does delimitate from the profoundness of economics. In addition, the study will examine a new way for the end phase of a textile garment and will delimitate the methods of recycling and rental of clothes.

Detta projektet handlar om att ge Återbruksbyn i Växjö en grafisk identitet och profil. Återbruksbyn är ett arbete startat av Växjö kommun och kooperativet Macken som handlar om att bygga en mötesplats för oss som vill byta, köpa, sälja, skänka och återbruka begagnade saker i stället för att slänga dem. Det är en plats som kommer fokusera på cirkulär ekonomi och introducera detta system som ett alternativ till det vi har i dagsläget. Min roll och syftet med detta projekt har varit att analysera verksamheten och skapa en logotyp med tillhörande grafisk profil där de äkta värderingarna visas och representeras på ett korrekt sätt. Detta är min process. / This project is about creating a graphic identity and profile for Återbruksbyn, Växjö. Återbruksbyn is a project created by Växjö municipality and the cooperative Macken, and it is about building a central space and meeting point for people who want to buy, sell, exchange, give away and reuse old products instead of throwing them away. It is a place that focuses on circular economy and wants to introduce this alternative system to the people of Växjö. My role and purpose with this project has been to analyse Återbruksbyn and its values, and through that, create a graphic identity that reflects these values and goals. This is my process.

Au cours des dernières décennies, de nombreux outils ont été développés pour comprendre et gérer les cycles anthropiques des matériaux, avec différentes approches. Chacune considère les flux de matière dans la société de différentes manières et chacune possède ses bases de données respectives alimentant leurs utilisations. Il ne semble toutefois pas y avoir de bases communes pour la communication entre les activités de conception et les activités de bouclage, ainsi que leurs parties prenantes respectives, ce qui entrave les échanges d'informations nécessaires à une bonne gestion des produits mis au rebut (et de leurs matériaux). Cette thèse apporte ainsi deux contributions originales à la conception circulaire de produits: un outil pour l'intégration de la circularité des matériaux dans la conception de produits et un cadre pour caractériser les réseaux de bouclage de matériaux. L'outil est composé d'un indicateur multicritères de la valeur circulaire des matériaux utilisé dans la méthode de conception pour la circularité des matériaux (Design for Material Circularity method). Le cadre s'appuie sur une analyse documentaire approfondie, enrichie par des entretiens avec des experts de l'industrie, et sert de base à la collecte de données et à la capitalisation des connaissances sur les filières de bouclage. Les filières de recyclage en boucle ouverte de huit matériaux, appartenant aux trois principales catégories de matériaux, sont caractérisées grâce à ce cadre (acier, aluminium, cuivre, métaux précieux, métaux de spécialité, terres rares, plastiques et verre). Deux études de cas détaillent le déploiement de ces contributions. La première porte sur le choix optimal du matériau et du scénario de fin de vie pour une bouteille de 1,5 litre. La deuxième vise à identifier les points chauds (hotspots) de circularité des matériaux et les scénarios de fin de vie idéaux pour un bloc-batterie véhiculaire au lithium. / In the last decades, many tools have been developed to understand and manage the anthropogenic cycles of materials, with different approaches. Each handles the material flows in society in different ways and each possesses its respective databases that fuel their uses. Yet there seems to be no common ground of communication between design activities and cycling activities, as well as their respective stakeholders, which hinders the information exchanges required for a proper management of discarded products (and their materials). This thesis provides two original contributions to circular product design: a tool for the integration of material circularity in product design and a framework to characterize material cycling networks. The tool is composed of a multi-criteria indicator for circular material value that is used in the Design for Material Circularity method. The framework is based on an extensive literature review enhanced by industry experts’ interviews and provides a basis for data collection and knowledge capitalization on cycling activities. The open-loop recycling networks of eight materials, from the three main material classes, are characterized using this framework (steel, aluminium, copper, precious metals, specialty metals, rare earth elements, plastics and glass). Two case studies detail the deployment of these contributions. The first focuses on the optimal choice of material and end-of-life scenario for a 1,5-litre bottle container. The second is aimed at identifying material circularity hotspots and ideal end-of-life scenarios for a vehicular lithium-ion battery pack.