The circular economy is more than just a buzz phrase, the global population is predicted to approach 9 billion people by 2030. This means that we will use more resources than the planet can provide, meaning our future depends on reusing what we have in a sustainable way. We will need to make changes on a personal level, but let’s not forget the bigger companies, who have a bigger share in climate change. In this article we will show you what companies are already working hard to be more circular, and how they will influence the changes in the transport industry that need to happen rather quickly.

Patagonia

(source: Patagonia) 

Patagonia is one of the longstanding ambassadors of repair, reuse and conscious consumption. The brand started selling gently used outdoor clothing for men, women and children in its online Worn Wear shop back in 2017! They recently launched the ReCrafted Collection and this year they even set up repair guides to help customers repair their worn-in gear themselves. Last year, during Black Friday, they added an option to buy used products, by adding a worn wear product next to every new product listed online. This makes them the first company to give customers an easy way to purchase an used alternative when shopping for new products. 

Platform Zero’s Take 

It’s fantastic to see such big companies make a good effort in becoming more circular. For us, Patagonia is one of the frontrunners in sustainable and circular fashion. This is not that surprising for one of the biggest outdoor gear fashion companies.

Adidas

(source: Adidas) 

Sneakers are one of the less recyclable products we have in the fast fashion industry. According to research done by The Guardian, about 90% of sneakers end up at a landfill. Adidas rolled out a 100% recyclable running shoe, made from one single material and without glue. Meaning you can return the shoe to Adidas at the end of their use so it can be broken down correctly and the products can be reused.The Ultraboost DNA Loop  can now be bought in selected Adidas stores. 

Platform Zero’s Take 

Although Adidas took a huge leap by innovating its way towards a more circular future, this is just a small step. In order for the company to be entirely circular, they will need to make more processes circular, such as deliveries, production, and becoming less fast fashion. However, we still think this small step will lead to bigger ones in the future!

IKEA

(source: IKEA)

In the Swedish town of Eskilstuna, about 100km outside of the capital Stockholm, you can visit two major places: a thousand year old stone covered with Viking runes and pictures or IKEA’s first-ever second hand store. The shop will feature gently used IKEA furniture as part of it’s efforts to reach it’s 2030 climate targets. By setting up this store they made a step to help their customers prolong the life of their products. By bringing back a product, you will get a voucher in exchange and you will be able to buy something else in the store. 

Platform Zero’s Take 

The yellow and blue furniture store is taking a big step towards becoming more circular by creating second hand stores of IKEA furniture. However, there is still only one, and IKEA products are not always made to be reused. Another critical point is that you already have smaller second hand stores within the IKEA store itself: the bargain corners. We can see that IKEA senses they need to make a change as well in order to make sure our planet stays liveable, however we would like to say: focus on the durability of your products!