Circularity demands more than products that can be repaired, refurbished or recycled. It requires a fundamental mindset shift: consumers committed to keeping items in use; business models built on access rather than ownership that reward good design over time; and recyclers integrated into the manufacturing supply chain. Guided by the belief that waste is a design flaw, the transition to circularity depends not on individual products, but on the systems that support them.

New legislation passed in Europe in 2024 and introduced across all 50 US states in 2025 gives consumers the right to repair products more quickly, cheaply and easily. In response, designers and manufacturers are accelerating efforts to put users back in control, creating products that can be repaired without technicians or specialist tools. Modularity – and offering replacements for the components most likely to fail – has become a central focus.

The transition to circular systems is transforming the character of business. Early circularity leaders are recognising the need for greater transparency and collaboration to deepen knowledge, reorganise supply chains, and move from isolated pilot to change at scale. This shift is driving new networks built around co-opetition, where competing brands work together on shared challenges, and creative agencies share custom-built software tools for collective benefit.