Circular Monday - 24 November 2025
- Parisa Bazaz
- Nov 12
- 3 min read
How manufacturers can take action on circular practices
Circular Monday, taking place on 24 November 2025, the Monday before Black Friday, began in Sweden in 2017 as a counter-movement to mass consumption. It has since evolved into a global platform that highlights businesses offering circular products and services, making reuse, repair, and recycling visible and accessible to customers. This blog post is aimed for companies in manufacturing, focusing on how to take practical, impactful steps towards more circular operations.
Why Circularity Matters
The global economy is still overwhelmingly linear.
Only 6.9% of all materials entering the global economy are secondary, reused or recycled. (Circularity Gap Report)
Within the EU, circular material use remains low, and targets for reducing waste and the targets of reducing waste and increasing material reuse are not on track. (Waste generation and material consumption EEA)
The EU Joint Research Centre estimates that improved materials management in heavy industries, steel, aluminium, cement, plastics, could cut 189–231 million tonnes CO₂e per year. (EU Science Hub)
The message is clear: the potential impact is enormous, but progress remains inconsistent. This gap presents a strategic opportunity for manufacturers to take the lead.
Four Practical Actions for Manufacturers
1. Map your major waste and by-product streams
Identify your top 2–3 waste or residual flows by volume or cost.
Ask: Could this flow become feedstock internally, or a resource for another industry?
The Business case: Capturing value from waste reduces raw material costs, disposal costs, and emissions simultaneously.
2. Partner creatively — think design and reuse, not just recycling
Circular innovation doesn’t always require high technology, often it’s about design, logistics, and collaboration.
Example: Brukspecialisten, a Swedish company, cleans old bricks for reuse in new construction. It transforms demolition costs into material assets, a simple yet powerful reuse model.
3. Pilot fast, scale smart
Set up a 3–6 month pilot around one material stream or product reuse.
Measure key metrics: cost savings, new revenue, CO₂-avoidance.
Use early data to build a business case for scaling, and remember, an imperfect start beats delayed perfection.
4. Embed circularity into your business model and KPIs
Circularity must go beyond waste management, it needs to be part of product design, material sourcing, logistics, and after-use systems.
With upcoming EU frameworks such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), these requirements will only grow stronger.
Set measurable internal KPIs, such as:
% of materials from secondary sources
Number of product as a service model
% of waste redirected into value streams
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Waiting for big tech: Don’t delay action until new technology arrives, start with reuse, remanufacturing, or partnerships.
Treating circularity as “waste management”: The goal is value creation, not just disposal reduction.
Siloed pilots: Involve manufacturing, procurement, design, and logistics from the start.
Ignoring demand: Circular inputs need circular outputs, create internal or external demand.
Not quantifying outcomes: Without data on cost savings, CO₂ reductions, and new revenue, circular initiatives risk being dismissed as “nice to have.”
Looking Ahead: From Circular Monday to Everyday Practice
Circular Monday is a reminder that circularity is not a one-day event, it’s a shift in how we design, produce, and value materials. Each company has the power to turn waste into opportunity, reduce dependency on virgin resources, and strengthen resilience in an increasingly resource-constrained world.
As Circular Monday 2025 (24 November) approaches, take the chance to review your processes, test one new idea, and share your progress. Even small steps can lead to measurable change when done consistently.
Good luck - and let’s make circular thinking the new normal, every day of the year.
👉 Read more about circular practices and sustainable business transformation here:
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