It’s been an incredibly busy week! Let’s get stuck in.

Industry News

Collaborations and Partnerships 🤝:

Redwood Materials and GM repurpose second-life EV batteries for grid storage. Used EV packs will support large-scale energy storage systems, turning automotive waste into valuable grid infrastructure. The project shows how spent batteries can deliver new life in cleantech applications. Read more.

Stella McCartney and H&M reunite for a sustainability-focused 2026 collection. The brands are collaborating again after nearly 20 years, unveiling early looks at the 2025 Fashion Awards. The Spring 2026 line will use certified and recycled materials, reinforcing both brands’ push toward circular fashion. Read more.

Bleckmann and Db Journey launch travel gear repair programme. Bleckmann has expanded its Renewal Workshop capabilities to offer repairs for Db Journey’s travel gear across the EU and Norway. The service complements Db’s Lost & Found trade-in programme, where returned or misplaced items are refurbished and resold. Read more.

Vodafone partners with MobileMuster to boost Australia’s device-recycling efforts. Customers can return unused phones via Vodafone stores for trade-in credit or free recycling. With more than 23 million idle devices nationwide, the scheme aims to recover up to 95% of materials for reuse. Read more.

Fujitsu and NSK launch a lifecycle data platform to support bearing reuse. The system tracks bearings from manufacture through use, enabling reconditioning, reuse and maintenance rather than disposal. It aims to improve equipment utilisation and unlock circular value. Read more.

By Rotation partners with Lime to encourage low-impact festive fashion and travel. London customers renting party outfits via the By Rotation app can redeem a free 10-minute Lime e-bike ride, reducing both fashion waste and short-trip emissions. Read more.

Company Updates 🔎:

Meta increases cleantech investments to support the rise of AI infrastructure. Meta expanded its clean-energy commitments in 2025, including a new forestry-based carbon off-take deal. The move signals Meta’s intent to manage rising AI-driven energy demand through renewable and low-carbon projects. Read more.

Google launches a free tool to help manufacturers cut supply-chain emissions. The Energy Assessment Tool gives factories and suppliers quick guidance on potential efficiency upgrades without needing consultants. Google aims to speed up early-stage audits and support lower-carbon operations across global supply chains. Read more.

eBay brings its live-shopping format to Australia. The eBay Live platform has launched in Australia, offering interactive livestream sales where viewers can engage in real time and buy directly. The move expands eBay’s global live commerce strategy and supports new resale and auction formats. Read more.

Louis Vuitton is the top luxury resale brand of 2025. eBay’s latest Watchlist shows LV out in front again, with demand and listings surpassing every other label. More than 13 Louis Vuitton items are listed every minute as classic monogram pieces continue to dominate. Read more.

Primark reports major progress on sustainable fibre sourcing. The retailer’s latest Sustainability & Ethics Progress Report shows 74% of its clothing now uses recycled or more sustainably sourced fibres, up from 66% last year. Around 5% of its range is now circular-by-design, supported by expanded traceability and durability testing. Read more.

Harrods enters the luxury secondhand market with certified pre-owned Rolex watches. The iconic London retailer has become an official retailer for the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned programme, launching a dedicated space for authenticated, serviced and warrantied pre-owned timepieces. Read more.

Swappie introduces a reusable packaging system for its iPhone refurbishing service. The new tamper-evident pack replaces single-use boxes and can be sent out immediately once a customer accepts a quote. It’s designed to cut transit risk, improve user confidence and reduce materials across Swappie’s device-intake process. Read more.

Mitsubishi Materials plans new smelting facilities to scale WEEE recycling in Europe. New secondary smelting capacity will process WEEE and recycled metals locally and support EU efforts to strengthen critical material supply. The company also targets 100% recycled tungsten by 2031. Read more.

PetStar expands Toluca plant to become world’s largest food-grade PET recycler. Capacity has risen from 50,000 to 86,000 tonnes annually, enabling processing of 5.5 billion bottles a year. The upgrade adds thousands of jobs and strengthens PET circularity across Mexico and global supply chains. Read more.

Regional Updates 🌎️:

ILO report finds up to 142 million people employed in the global circular economy. New global analysis estimates 121 to 142 million jobs across repair, recycling, secondhand trade and waste management. The report is the first consolidated baseline for circular employment and highlights the scale of labour already supporting circularity. Read more.

Circular Monday reports a global reach of 108 million people in 2025. The campaign, which promotes alternatives to overconsumption, engaged audiences across 58 countries during this year’s November activation. The record reach reflects growing momentum behind circular economy awareness and more responsible purchasing habits. Read more.

US Senate approves bipartisan recycling and reuse bills to boost waste management infrastructure. Senators unanimously passed the STEWARD Act and REUSE Act, setting the stage for expanded recycling and composting infrastructure and a nationwide push on reuse and refill systems. Read more.

Expanding plastics recycling could generate nearly $50 billion a year for the US. New analysis from the American Chemistry Council shows that diverting even half of plastics from landfill could create more than 170,000 jobs and deliver major economic gains. Read more.

55 organisations join the new UK Packaging Pact ahead of its April 2026 launch. The agreement, led by WRAP with PackUK and government support, brings together retailers and waste operators to drive higher standards across all packaging materials. Signatories commit to improved design and ensure greater reuse. Read more.

Improved electrical waste recycling could unlock £1 billion a year for the UK. Material Focus highlights that although small-tech recycling is rising, large volumes of electricals remain unused or discarded. Stronger recovery systems could capture far more value and significantly boost the UK’s circular economy. Read more.

UK Government sets new target to halve residual waste by 2042. The updated Environmental Improvement Plan commits to reducing residual waste to 287kg per person by 2042. The target is part of a wider effort to cut waste generation and strengthen national resource efficiency. Read more.

EU-funded RAWMINA project converts mine waste into valuable raw materials. The project completed a pilot recovering critical minerals from mining waste, turning previously discarded material into usable feedstock, demonstrating how waste streams can be transformed into high-value inputs for emerging industries. Read more.

Fashion for Good publishes open-source blueprint for near-net-zero textile manufacturing in India. The initiative gives Tier-2 dyeing and finishing factories five practical decarbonisation pathways, enabling up to 93% CO₂ reductions alongside major water and energy savings. Read more.

Israeli researchers pioneer a new method to convert human waste into renewable fuel. A team at Ben-Gurion University has refined hydrothermal carbonisation to transform sewage into a clean-burning solid called hydrochar. The approach delivers both usable energy and nutrient-rich by-products. Read more.

Investment News

M&A 💰️:

Asurion to acquire Domestic & General in major agreement. Asurion has signed a definitive agreement to buy Domestic & General, creating one of the largest global providers of device and appliance protection. The deal combines Asurion’s scale with Domestic & General’s 110-year legacy and extensive appliance-care network. Read more.

Holcim UK acquires Thames Materials to expand circular construction services. The acquisition brings Thames Materials’ construction waste recycling operations into Holcim’s network, adding coverage across west London and surrounding areas. The deal strengthens its ability to deliver circular construction services. Read more.

Dr. Phone Fix expands into Atlantic Canada with the acquisition of Geebo Device Repair. The acquisition brings six Nova Scotia repair locations into its network, adding a new regional footprint and additional OEM-certified capability. The deal boosts national coverage and strengthens its position in device care and reuse. Read more.

Venture and Growth Capital 📈:

Spark Cleantech secures €30 million Series A to decarbonise heavy industry. The French deep-tech will use the funds to scale its pulsed-plasmolysis process that replaces fossil fuel combustion in furnaces, cutting emissions by 85% and generating decarbonised hydrogen and carbon nanomaterials for polymers, batteries and metallurgy. Read more.

WasteStart raises £1.45 million to accelerate development of its waste-sector ERP platform. The system is designed for waste and recycling operators, covering scheduling, billing and operational management. The funds will support product development, expand functionality and enable early rollout across the UK. Read more.

American Resources secures $5 million to expand recycled feedstock sourcing. The credit line will accelerate acquisition of recycled magnets, scrap and ore concentrates, supporting subsidiary ReElement Technologies’ domestic and circular supply-chain ambitions. Read more.

Finnish startup Sofi Filtration secures €900,000 to advance critical-mineral recovery. The company is developing an ultrasound-powered filtration system that captures ultra-fine mineral particles from mining and industrial streams. The funding from EIT RawMaterials will support pilots and help commercialise the technology. Read more.

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Have a great one and we’ll meet again on Monday!

Cheers to circularity,

#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy