Planetary Boundaries (PB) and Circular Economy (CE) are becoming the paradigm for sustainability. There is an increasing interest to operationalise PB into a framework for businesses to maximise profitability within environmental limits. The context of the cotton textile industry makes a good setting for understanding the casual chain of connections between the socio-economic system expressed by extensive global supply chain of cotton, and its ecological interconnection with the Earth’s system that is put under pressure. For this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) is recognised as a suitable approach for measuring the linkages between those two systems. Results show that among all phases of the life cycle of a cotton t-shirt, the usage phase is the most impacting for most of environmental indicators, followed by the manufacturing and farming phase. Production or extraction of raw material as elements considered upstream in the supply chain are the predominant cause of impacts in this case study. Increasing circularity of the system yields to an improvement in environmental performance. However, the system remains largely unsustainable when taking into account the state of the Earth’s system, through the PB. When assessing sustainability through LCA, ecological references like PB, must be considered to understand absolute environmental sustainability a product system. This will reveal whether less impacting options in the system, are still deteriorating a state of the environment as a part of the Earth’s system, which needs to be the area of protection. In conclusion, linking planetary boundaries to life cycle assessment can help assess the absolute environmental sustainability, as opposed to relative sustainability, of a production system. Combining an assessment of the state of the environment (safe, critical/uncertain, at risk), and the assessment of environmental hotspots of the system under scrutiny, will determine where priority for goals and actions of improvements for environmental sustainability needs most attention.

As customers become more and more aware of the threats and limits of the current economic system, joined with the pressure of environmental policies, companies are pressured to rethink their offerings, processes, and business models in order to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. This transition requires significant changes in habits and behaviors, but simultaneously it offers opportunities for innovation. In this regard, business model innovation plays an essential role in enabling this transition via circular business models that close the loop. For the successful development, implementation, and adoption of new business models, a depth understanding of customers' needs is fundamental. However, little is known about the customer perceptions, motivations, and willingness to participate in circular economy. To address this gap, the study explores the transition to circular economy from the customers' perspective by employing a qualitative single case study bounded to the furniture retail company, IKEA, specifically the IKEA Second-Hand pilot store in Eskilstuna, Sweden. Through in-person interviews, observations, and a questionnaire, data from customers donating their used furniture to the recycling mall ReTuna, people discarding furniture at the recycling station, and people selling and giving away their used furniture via the social media platform Facebook, was captured to explore the customer experience in the after-use phase of furniture. Findings of the study present opportunities for the case company to strengthen its product recovery strategies.

The concept of sustainability is gaining visibility in recent years. Both society and companies are increasing their interest in every of its social, environmental, and economic dimensions. This interest is one of the reasons why the Circular Economy is escalating. One of the goals of this model of production and consumption is waste reduction through the creation of a closed-loop chain, where remanufacturing has a crucial role. Despite the benefits of remanufacturing, this process increases the complexity of the task, limiting access to this job due to the high level of knowledge required. This is the reason why Augmented Reality is presented in this thesis as a method to assist operators by guiding them and providing real-time feedback interactively. The main goal is to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and accessibility of this task. At the same time, this project aims to contribute to all dimensions of sustainability to a greater or lesser extent. To meet the objectives mentioned above, and keeping in mind the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM), an artifact is created. The case of study is an assembly operation reproduced in the IRMA-demonstrator in ASSAR Innovation Arena in Skövde (Sweden). A set of Augmented Reality instructions have been designed to guide the operator through the assembly task. First, with the help of the software provided by Microsoft, Dynamics 365 Guides, and afterward, by using Unity. The software is compared, and an attempt is made to justify the implementation of AR, specifically in the remanufacturing assembly task. The results seem to point to a reduction of errors in the operation. Finally, conclusions are extracted based on previous studies and the analysis of the design and implementation of the set of instructions. / <p>Det finns övrigt digitalt material (t.ex. film-, bild- eller ljudfiler) eller modeller/artefakter tillhörande examensarbetet som ska skickas till arkivet.</p>

Der Übergang von einer linearen Wirtschaftsweise zu einer Kreislaufwirtschaft hat gerade erst begonnen. Beim Umgang mit Kunststoffen wird deutlich, dass die Kreislaufführung noch nicht in dem Maße erfolgt, dass die möglichen Potenziale der Rückführung von verwertbaren Kunststoffabfällen in den Produktionskreislauf ausgeschöpft sind. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wurden 16 Maßnahmen zur Steigerung der Mengen des eingesetzten Rezyklats ausgewählt, charakterisiert und hinsichtlich deren Kosten für die Umsetzung und erzielbaren Mengeneffekte berechnet. Die ermittelten Werte wurden in Anlehnung an die Methode der Ökoeffizienzanalyse miteinander in Zusammenhang gebracht. Dabei wurde angenommen, dass mit jedem Mg durch die Maßnahmen zusätzlich bereitgestelltes Rezyklat eine Einsparung von CO2-Äquivalentemissionen erreicht wird.

The ’upcycling’ term and concept have gained interest as a new strategy of implementing circularity within businesses, however the concept have not yet been defined, resulting in a somewhat divided perception of what it entails and what activities it includes. This misunderstanding may hinder the circular economy development. However, Standards have been discussed to add structure to the industry, concerning sustainable standards, they have been argued necessary in order to reach levels of necessary change. Thus, this study aims to explore what upcycling is, how such terminology is defined and standardized, furthermore how this might be a way to come closer to a circular textile industry. Together with a review of earlier research on standards, policies and around change in institutions, an in-depth literature review was conducted to depict the definitions on upcycling within different fields. Additionally, interviews were conducted with companies and ‘experts’ within the textile and fashion industry, investigating the industry’s perception on ‘upcycling’ along with standardization of such circular terminology. Findings of the study confirmed standards are an important way to reach a level of agreement enabling for a circular change. However, it existed split opinions on the definition of ‘upcycling’ and what activities that are in fact upcycling. Nonetheless most of the reviewed articles as well as respondents both amongst the companies as well as the ‘experts’ argued that it essentially means keeping value or adding value, financially and or value as material quality. However, concerning the activities and what the value adding activities are, it seems to depend in what state the discarded material or product are in. Hence it is important to evaluate before ‘upcycling’, making the process of upcycling more efficient, regarding material optimization, also financially more desirable, a win win. The thesis argues to provide with knowledge regarding the ‘upcycling’ concept, as well on the importance of agreed definitions through standards, how they are developed and how it encourages institutional change.

Bygg- och anläggningssektorn har en stor inverkan på den globala uppvärmningen. Byggsektorn beräknas ha ett utsläpp på 15 miljoner ton koldioxidekvivalenter per år. Byggbranschen är även världens största konsument av råvara och den står för 50% av global stålproduktion samt förbrukar mer än 3 miljarder ton råvaror. Cirkulär ekonomi är ett uppåtgående koncept inom flertalet sektorer och branscher för att skapa en hållbar utveckling. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka bygg- och anläggningssektorns förhållande till cirkulär ekonomin för att minska branschens klimatpåverkan. Vi vill undersöka hur byggsektorn kan bli klimatneutral med hjälp av cirkulära principer och initiativ som bland annat LFM30, vilket är en lokal färdplan för att uppnå de globala målen år 2030 för att bidra till ett hållbart byggande. Under analysen framkommer det hur utvalda företag ser på cirkulär ekonomi och deras kännedom kring ämnet. För att förverkliga den cirkulära ekonomins potential har flertalet arbetssätt identifierats av respondenter som arbetar inom ämnet vilket kan stödja den komplexa övergången till en cirkulär ekonomi i den byggda miljön. / The construction sector has a major impact on global warming and is estimated to have emissions of 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The construction industry is also the largest consumer of raw materials, accounting for 50% of global steel production and consuming more than 3 billion tonnes of raw materials. Circular economics is an emerging concept in a wide range of sectors and industries for achieving a sustainable development. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the construction industry's view of circular economy in order to reduce the industry's climate impact. We want to explore how the construction sector can become climate neutral with the help of circular principles and initiatives such as LFM30, which is a local roadmap for achieving the global sustainable development goals for the year 2030, in order to contribute to a sustainable built environment. The analysis reveals how selected companies view circular economics and their knowledge of the subject. In order to realize the potential of the circular economy, different ways of working have been identified by respondents working within the subject,which can support the complex transition to a circular economy in the built environment.

En la actualidad el sector de la moda ha logrado posicionarse con mayor fuerza e importancia en el mundo y en el Perú. Esto se puede reforzar con lo que menciona Perú Retail en su plataforma web, la cual afirma que el mercado de moda podría llegar a mover unos US$ 1,326 millnes (Euromonitor International). Asimismo, es importante reconocer el rol importante que desempeñan los usuarios que deciden reinventarse ofreciendo prendas de segundo uso siguiendo los estándares de calidad, este fenómeno es conocido como el negocio de ropa de segunda mano. El presente proyecto se basa en la propuesta de una plataforma web intermediaria entre usuarios que poseen ropa o accesorios sin uso en buena calidad y clientes interesados en adquirir productos de moda con precios accesibles generando un proceso denominado economía circular. De esta forma, se evaluar la viabilidad operativa y económica de la venta de ropa y accesorios de segundo uso a través de la plataforma “Wara”. El internet y el avance en la tecnología permite optimizar las operaciones llevadas a cabo durante los diferentes procesos debido a que nuestras plataformas esenciales de venta son las redes sociales. El alcance mundial a través de canales on-line y la coyuntura actual son factores de oportunidad para implementar un negocio electrónico. La propagación del virus COVID 19 y la implementación de cuarentenas o estados de emergencia en diferentes países del mundo ha generado que las personas confinadas realicen prácticas de remodelación de dormitorios, guardar objetos sin uso pero sobretodo la limpieza de armarios. Ante ello, las personas a nivel mundial y nacional con la finalidad de obtener ingresos realizan este tipo de venta organica. Es importante señalar el crecimiento potencial y constante que muestra el mercado de reventa de moda, el cual se calcula un crecimiento de 20 veces más rápido que el mercado minorista peruano en los últimos tres años, según los índices de la investigación de Global Data para el Informe de la Segunda Mano 2019 (Perú Retail, 2019). Asocian este modelo de negocio con el impacto ambiental, el cual ha tomado mayor relevancia los últimos años. Es por este motivo, que se encontró potencial para el desarrollo de Wara, empresa que busca el bienestar social y medioambiental aportando significativamente con responsabilidad ante la realidad en la que se encuentra el planeta. / Currently the fashion sector has managed to position itself with greater strength and importance in the world and in Peru. This can be reinforced because Peru Retail (2019) mentions on its web platform that the fashion market could move around US $ 1,326 million (Euromonitor International). Likewise, it is important to recognize the important role played by users who decide to reinvent themselves by offering second-hand clothing following quality standards, this phenomenon is known as the second-hand clothing business. This project is based on the proposal of an intermediary web platform between users who have unused clothes or accessories in good quality and clients interested in acquiring fashion products with affordable prices, generating a process called circular economy. In this way, the operational and economic viability of the sale of second-use clothing and accessories through the “Wara” platform will be evaluated. The internet and the advancement in technology allow us to optimize the operations carried out during the different processes because our essential sales platforms are social networks. The global reach through online channels and the current situation are opportunity factors to implement an electronic business. The spread of the COVID 19 virus and the implementation of quarantines or states of emergency in different countries of the world have led to the confined people to carry out bedroom remodeling practices, store unused objects, but above all, closet cleaning. Given this, people worldwide and nationally in order to earn income carry out this type of organic sale. It is important to note the potential and constant growth shown by the fashion resale market, which is estimated to grow 20 times faster than the Peruvian retail market in the last three years, according to Global Data research indices for the Second Hand Report 2019 (Peru Retail, 2019). They associate this business model with the environmental impact, which has become more relevant in recent years. Regarding the financial structure of the project, it is essential to mention that the investment required to start operations is S / .6,029.24 and a financing of S / .50,000 to cover expenses and costs during the following operational years. The current situation does not allow the business model to be profitable due to the different limitations, which is why it does not show net profit in the projected 3 years. / Trabajo de investigación

Det finns två typer av affärsmodeller: den linjära och den cirkulära. Den linjära modellen är baserad på produktion-användning-avfall, medans den cirkulära modellen använder strategier för att undvika avfall. Textilindustrin är ansvarig för ett årligt avfall på 92 miljoner ton, den cirkulära modellen blir därav en viktig lösning. Det finns flera strategier för anpassning av en cirkulär modell. I denna studien kommer fokus vara på Reuse, Repair, Redesign &amp; Recycling som har gemensamt fokus att undvika avfall. Syftet med studien är att undersöka om svenska mode/outdoor företag arbetar med Reuse, Repair, Redesign &amp; Recycle. Studien kommer också undersöka vilka utmaningar samt möjligheter som finns i användandet av de fyra hållbarhetsmetoderna. För att undersöka syftet har en triangulering använts, varav en enkätundersökning har genomförts på 23 svenska företag om det arbetar med Reuse, Repair, Redesign &amp; Recycle. Intervjuer har genomförts på två företag. Dessa arbetar med någon eller flera av de fyra strategierna, vilket blir en viktig del i förståelsen av utmaningar och möjligheter. I resultatet presenteras hur många företag som arbetar med hållbarhet metoderna, vilken som är den svåraste att använda sig av och varför. Resultatet presenterar också utmaningar och möjligheter med dessa cirkulära strategier. Resultatet visar att Reuse och Repair används till stor del av de tillfrågade företagen jämfört med Redesign och Recycle. / There are two kinds of business models: the linear and the circular. The linear model is based on make-use-dispose, while the circular model is looking for further strategies to reduce waste. Since the textile industry uses a lot of resources, the waste is calculated to be an astounding 92 million tons yearly and therefore circular economy is a crucial solution. There are several strategies for a business to act more circular. This study focuses on Reuse, Repair, Redesign &amp; Recycling which all of them focuses on reducing the textile waste. The purpose of this study is to understand if Swedish fashion/outdoor companies use Reuse, Repair, Redesign &amp; Recycling. The study will also research what kind of difficulties and possibilities working with these four strategies could potentially be. To examine the purpose of this study a triangulation method has been used. A survey has been conducted for 23 Swedish companies questioning if they work with Reuse, Repair, Redesign &amp; Recycle. Interviews have also been performed with two companies. These two are using some out of the four strategies, which will act as a critical part for the comprehension of the challenges and opportunities. The result will present how many of the companies that work with sustainable solutions, which ones are the hardest to achieve and why. It will also present challenges and possibilities with these circular strategies. The results illustrate that Reuse and Repair are more common as a sustainable solution in the company's business models than Redesign and Recycle.

When increasing the amount of recycled material in production the input materials are rarely homogenous which results in unavoidable waste streams. Utilizing this waste is of high importance when moving towards a Circular Economy and for firms to keep their circular identity. However, to achieve this, collaborations between firms are crucial. The purpose of this single case study is to develop a road map for how firms can create collaboration to strategically valorize waste streams from circular processes. Through a qualitative study based on 23 semi structured interviews the subject was investigated. The interviews were held in three phases with respondents from four different groups: the case company, potential collaborators, other firms with waste streams as well as subject experts. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through a thematic analysis resulting in five themes. Moreover, this study resulted in a road map with three gears and multiple steps that companies should follow to create collaboration for valorizing waste streams. The three gears are: Gear 1: Internal preparation, Gear 2: Finding the right partner and Gear 3: Forming the collaboration. The study fills the gap in existing literature regarding the lack of a firm perspective of a concrete road map by which companies can go from producing a waste stream to creating a collaboration to valorize it. Both the managers of a company as well as an assigned person responsible for waste streams can benefit from the road map. Although the road map contains three consecutive gears, the containing steps can be considered individually or partly depending on the company’s circumstances. In addition, companies without circular processes can be inspired from the road map in their work of becoming more sustainable. / När mängden återvunnet material ökar i produktioner är ingångsmaterialen sällan homogena vilket resulterar i oönskade restströmmar. För att röra sig mot en cirkulär ekonomi och för att företag ska behålla sin cirkulära identitet är det av stor vikt att ta tillvara på avfallet. För att uppnå detta är samarbeten mellan företag mycket viktiga. Syftet med denna enfallsstudie är att utveckla en roadmap över hur företag kan skapa samarbeten för att strategiskt valorisera restströmmar från cirkulära processer. Genom en kvalitativ studie baserad på 23 semistrukturerade intervjuer undersöktes området. Intervjuerna genomfördes i tre faser med respondenter från fyra olika grupper: fallstudieföretaget, potentiell samarbetspartner, andra företag med restströmmar samt ämnesexperter. Intervjuerna transkriberades och analyserades genom en tematisk analys som resulterade i fem teman. Studien resulterade därmed i en roadmap bestående av tre växlar och flera steg vilka företag kan följa för att skapa samarbeten för att valorisera sina restströmmar. De tre växlarna är: Växel 1: Interna förberedelser, Växel 2: Hitta den rätta samarbetspartnern och Växel 3: Utforma samarbetet. Studien fyller gapet i den existerande litteraturen då företagsperspektivet i en konkret roadmap som beskriver hur företag kan gå från att producera en restström till att skapa samarbeten för att valorisera den saknas. Ledarna i ett företag samt en designerad person ansvarig för restströmmarna kan få nytta av av roadmapen. Trots att roadmapen består av tre påföljande varandra växlar kan de olika växlarna i roadmapen nyttjas individuellt eller delvis beroende på företagets omständigheter. Därtill kan även företag utan cirkulära processer inspireras av roadmapen i deras arbete att bli mer hållbara.

This study has contributed to the developing concepts of circular economy by assessing circular business models and to test different approaches for circularity in a measurable way. In our current era of time, we stand against environment challenges with a warming planet and resources scarcity. To mitigate the effect of greenhouse gasemissions and to find new more circular solutions to material demand. The developing concept of circular economy is aligned with these goals. In this study the climate impact and profitability of circular business models are investigated using material flow analysis. The result is an assessment of these parameters from a sustainability perspective for product organizations and show that longer lifetime and use period a product has the lower the yearly global warming potential. For profitability the assessment is dependent on more parameters such ascurrent business models, gross margin, raw material, logistics and distribution cost an increased profit is not as strongly connected to lifetime or use. When an increasedcircularity can be accomplished as a complement to current business (withoutsignificant cost increase) there is a possible profit.The study suggests an analysis model for investigate circular strategies in theAssessment model for circular business models. The study contributed to the practical adaptation of circular economy principles providing a suggested analysis framework .By applying circular economy principles and this assessment model it is possible to contribute to a more sustainable future for the system of planet Earth. / <p>2023-06-08</p>