(Issues : Waste, Energy)

Sustainability Problem : Waste is an impending threat to the sustainability of the planet and economically hampers resource efficiency and increases cost. A circular economy eliminates or at least controls waste by promoting resource efficiency and symbiosis within or across sectors. Business models such as fast fashion, pose a drastic threat to the emergence and viability of a circular economy.

Technology :

• Ecosystem players embed physical triggers (QR, NFC chips of RFID tags) into textiles to provide unique identification of the product like composition.
• This allows traceability and trackability allowing the textiles to cascade through the circular economy with how to instructions on end-of-life recycling, disassembling, remanufacturing or modifications.
• In addition, digitally enabled clothing can be programmed to provide information throughout the use phase, giving information about the user’s health, stress levels etc. with the ability to replace wearable technology.  
• The technology can also be deployed to provide users or wearers with digital experiences, applications and analytics.

Sample ecosystem players : Etology, Content Thread, Rebecca Minkoff, Born Digital Movement

Stakeholders :

• Businesses
• Consumers
• NGO’s (proxy for environmental and social concerns)
• Governments
• Suppliers

Deployment :

• Businesses must develop technical capabilities to understand the benefits of the technology and the circular economy by defining flexible business models and management strategies.
• Market technology by demonstrating the sustainability management and marketing aspects used to better product lifecycle management.
• Develop collaboration platforms for value creation and data optimization to gain and maintain competitive advantage.

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