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Biz Strategy Circularity Consumer-ism Definitions Finance Materials

Straight Talk: ESG is Not ‘Sustainability’

November 3, 2020

Financial accounting is rather ill suited as well as ill equipped to deal properly with a system that has finite natural resources. Else, why would it not record the environmental losses that come with e.g. extracting bauxite? And what about ESG? Well it turns out, ESG is just more of the same (growth) just in a shade of ‘green’. It is for a reason that the Global Materials Footprint has kept growing in alignment with the much coveted GDP growth. Despite all green efforts. ESG – investing in ‘greener’ tech and businesses – is definitely NOT ‘Sustainability’ as we need it.

Biz Strategy Circularity Opinions

Regrettable Substitution: Life is full of surprises

March 23, 2021

Reducing humanity’s footprint on this planet is a journey of decisions. Some of them tough, some of them very clear. And some of them – let’s just say: with very limited available data. The journey we’re on, is the proverbial Designer’s Paradox. More scientifically speaking of course, we are faced with the ever lasting conundrum of Regrettable Substitutions. So: Is there a best possible AND least bad option (combined) at this very moment?

Circularity Globalisation Opinions

Better business models will be circular

May 4, 2013

Circular economy is the antonym of linear economy. Linear economy has been the dominant industrial model in our history and postulates production is followed by consumption that then ends up with the disposal of used products. As opposed to this, circular economy seeks to rebuild capital, whether this is financial, manufactured, human, social or natural and sees products having a longer or a never-ending life that are either re-used as new inputs to create new products or shared and co-owned by different consumers.

Circularity Consumer-ism

Clothing Libraries – The fashion future is happening right now

January 8, 2011

Fashion Futures has analysed the fashion industry and come up with 4 scenarios for 2025. Opnuu, a UK start up, plans to commercialise clothing rental - outlined already in the Community Couture scenario.

Biz Strategy Circularity Governance

EU Plastic Waste Tax – Or: What went wrong, when compliance fuels R&D?

August 4, 2020

The cat is – long-time coming - finally left out of the bag: while drawing up a Covid19 recovery package, EU legislators have decided to introduce a levy on non-recycled plastic as per 1st of January 2020. Reading through the text, two points offer a considerable surprise: The short notice, the wording, and the focus on packaging. But how come that legislators seem to drive the industry R&D agenda? Here a few questions for boards to ask their CEOs to get to the bottom of this.

Circularity Materials Supply Chain

Panipat Stories – Textile recycling, hardcore

January 17, 2013

Panipat is an ancient and historic city in the Panipat district, state of Haryana, India. The city is the global centre of “Shoddy Yarn”. It is a business that is worth 1 billion dollars world wide. 85% of the volume is for the domestic marketm 15% for export. But the industry has more shadows then there is light ...

Book Reviews Circularity Consumer-ism

Untold stories from the clothing afterlife

March 19, 2011

"Salaula" tells us the whole story of second-hand clothing. It brings together 2 complementary aspects: Cultural & Economic analysis, and the voice of the real people.

Biz Strategy Circularity Globalisation

Global pandemic and resistant economies: The time is now

April 28, 2020

As I write this, it is late April. And our lessons from the last few weeks in Corona lock down and the impact of the pandemic on our communities and societies, all over the world, have thrown an even harsher light onto some of the realities we either assumed as a given, or worked hard to change for years already. And the lessons have been truly tough medicine.

Biz Strategy Circularity Opinions

Why bother – with Sustainability? Start with Why

October 27, 2020

Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek pointedly demanded: Start with Why. Targeted at a then rather uninspiring marketing and branding industry, 10 years on is still as valid as ever. Just now, we need to ask businesses: Why are you bothering with investing millions, and thousands of hours into sustainability? Often the answer will be: because we have to. An answer just as uninspiring as the sales slogans Sinek was bashing a decade ago. Because when it comes to Sustainability: Know your genuine Why. Or don't bother.

Book Reviews Circularity Globalisation

Economies of Recycling – The globalised value of trash

August 8, 2013

That textile waste – in the shape of garments as well as in other incarnation – has increasingly a commercial value in an area of globalised markets was a topic here in Shirahime on more than one occasion. This book takes on a larger perspective: Each chapter of the this book offers insights into the recycling economy of a distincly different industry.

Circularity Materials

Made to Last – The life of a yukata

July 26, 2011

This article has originally been published online by ‘Japan for Sustainability’ (JFS) on May 30, 2005. It is the 1st...

Book Reviews Circularity

Local flavours of clothing recycling: India

November 22, 2012

This book emerges itself into how clothing is bought, worn, discarded and recycled within India. In other words, it tracks down how Indian citizens (primarily women) manage their wardrobes, and the strategies and criteria of how they do it.

Book Reviews Circularity Consumer-ism Materials Supply Chain

A T-shirt that means the world

October 15, 2010

"The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy" takes the exemplary T-shirt, and takes us on a journey to discover its origins. From Texas, to China, to the US again, and then to the second-hand trade in Africa.

Biz Strategy Circularity Consumer-ism Governance Opinions

Quality vs Quantity – Or: Preparing the growth elephant for landing

September 1, 2020

There are two approaches on how we can define of what is viable and desirable for our global economy. In one, the 'soft attributes' and non-physical factors such as consumer desires, lifestyles or distribution of goods are a fixed attribute. In the other, quantifiable, physical attributes - amongst them natural resources - are fixed. The challenge of boards in this time and age: Recognising that the first - the present - is failing. And outlining the path towards the second.

Biz Strategy Circularity Governance

Sustainability Tone Deafness: The Sound of Silence

March 9, 2021

The leadership team level at company X is not making the moves that might be expected and needed from a sustainability perspective. What to do? How to overcome the blockage? How to make progress without even mentioning the S-word in the discourse? The answer: Compliance, Risk, and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Or in more tangible terms - start the conversation by focusing on legal compliance, Risk and Due Diligence, Efficiencies ... and good old benchmarking with the competition. No S-word needed. Not a big step for humanity no doubt. But a door opener to many more interesting conversations.

Biz Strategy Circularity Globalisation Supply Chain

Circularity and Business Models: 2 US reports, many learnings

October 20, 2020

The world, by and large, operates based on land-filling. The only way to improve the situation any time soon is: not to landfill. At all. Or at least as little as possible, and that asap. To that extent, 2 reports on textiles the circular economy have been published, both of which look at the issue from different, and complementary perspectives. What is it that we can learn from these 2 reports, side by side? One, the old adage could not be any truer: One Man’s Rubbish is another Man’s Treasure. And: True cost accounting would make a huge difference.

Circularity Consumer-ism

The Sharing Economy: All for one and one for all

December 13, 2012

The Sharing Economy’s monetary value is currently worth £301bn globally. It is expected to grow by at least 15% over the next 5 years. Thanks to the wedding dresses and suits, the concept of sharing has never quite disappeared entirely from the fashion market. And now is the time where it emerges with more strength than ever.

Brand Portraits Circularity Supply Chain

From recycled materials to Smateria

November 3, 2011

Smateria is a Cambodian upcycling bag label founded by 2 Italian women. What originally was a haphazard venture with the will to improve the lives of Cambodian women has turned by now into a successful social business.

Circularity Future Tech Materials

Cradle to Cradle – The design of essence, not only shape

February 16, 2012

Cradle to Cradle is a design methodology that puts a 'waste-less' world at its heart. What is the concept all about? What does it mean for the apparel industry? And who practises it among designers and companies?

Brand Portraits Circularity

Little Glass Clementine – Weaving live’s stories into jewellery

August 9, 2012

Discarded at one time, and hidden away in a drawer of the family home or even flogged off in a car boot sale, 'Little Glass Clementine' turns the most improbable centre piece of unique necklaces, each made 'to measure' for the personality and character of its new owner.

Future Fit Industries of 'Stuff': Governance, Responsibility, and the Age of Doughnut Economics