It’s been another busy week in the circular economy. Let’s get stuck in!

Industry News

Demand surge for circular tech and data centre lifecycle services expected in the US. 3stepIT’s John Muir and Jonas Rosqvist highlight how the US President’s commitment to $500,000,000,000 of AI and data centre investment will fuel demand for circular services such as decommissioning, refurbishment, and redeployment. Read more.

Foxway accelerates European growth through strategic leadership. The circular tech specialist has appointed Carl-Fredrik Lidman and Steinar Aune to leadership positions to boost execution, customer focus, and complement its next phase of European expansion. Read more.

Recommerce and Euronics partner to scale refurbished device trade-ins across Europe. Recommerce Group has signed a pan-European deal with electronics giant Euronics to drive consumer electronics trade-ins and resale. The partnership has rolled out across Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland. Read more.

Trump-era turmoil casts uncertainty over US battery recycling growth. US-based recycling companies like Ascend Elements and Cirba are scaling domestic lithium‑carbonate production, but face a “limbo moment” due to shifting tariffs and the possible repeal of Biden’s tax credits. Read more.

Automotive industry faces disruption from rare-earth mineral and magnet shortages. China’s export restrictions are squeezing global supply and threatening EV and auto production across the US and Europe. Some European manufacturers have paused lines, with warnings of broader shutdowns by mid-July. Read more.

lululemon inks 10-year offtake deal with Samsara Eco for circular fibres. The activewear giant commits to sourcing up to 20% of its nylon and polyester from Samsara’s enzymatically recycled materials by 2030. The partnership builds on their recent recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester breakthroughs. Read more.

Chanel launches Nevold to scale circular materials in luxury fashion. Nevold is a circular hub focused on recycling luxury textiles like wool, silk, and leather. The initiative will serve both Chanel and external brands, underlining the impact of strategic partnerships and collaboration in circularity. Read more.

ThredUp powers Pact’s new Clean Out resale programme. The sustainable apparel brand Pact is partnering with ThredUp to launch its Clean Out resale programme via ThredUp’s Resale‑as‑a‑Service solution, enabling Pact customers to resell gently‑worn clothing and earn “Pact cash.” Read more.

Wolt and Bought launch instant resale logistics in Finland. Finnish start-up resale app Bought has integrated with delivery platform Wolt to offer instant peer-to-peer delivery - buyers in Helsinki can now receive secondhand items within an hour. This service connects circular commerce with on-demand convenience, a win-win. Read more.

South Korea’s Charan nears 1,000,000 users. Since launching in 2023, Seoul‑based Charan has attracted around 940,000 users to its circular fashion platform. The company’s rapid growth highlights strong consumer appetite for recommerce in Asia, with clear potential to scale further. Read more.

Reconomy launches £1,000,000 CircuLab research hub in Romania. The new sustainability innovation centre will explore circular economy use cases through data analytics, materials science, and regulatory foresight, aiming to enhance circular practices across the 8,000,000 tonnes of material the company manages annually. Read more.

Decathlon expands UK tent buy‑back scheme to tackle festival waste. Customers buying any Decathlon-branded tent can return it, used, for a full gift-card refund, as part of the “No Tent Left Behind” pledge. The program is designed to keep plastic-rich products in circulation and out of landfill. Read more.

GEODIS launches two returns solutions to optimise reverse logistics. The global logistics provider has unveiled a self-service returns portal for consumers to initiate returns and generate shipping labels, alongside a warehouse module for streamlined handling and real-time inventory updates. Read more.

Nearly 1 in 5 shoppers are ready to pay extra for sustainable returns. A Rebound Returns survey of over 5,000 consumers found that 18% are willing to pay more to ensure their returns are handled sustainably. However, half of respondents say they support greener returns in principle, but aren’t prepared to pay a premium yet. Read more.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) shares insights from Fashion ReModel project. EMF revealed initial findings that circular business models, including resale, repair, and rental, can scale profitably when embedded into core operations. It also highlighted the need for collaborative ecosystems involving brands, tech, infrastructure, and policy. Read more.

DP World Southampton to reach operational net‑zero in 2025. The port has eliminated fossil fuel use and cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 87% (2024 vs 2021). Initiatives include switching to HVO fuel, hybrid machinery, and electrified operations.
Looking forward, the port expects to hit operational net-zero this year. Read more.

The French Senate moves to curb ultra-fast fashion. The Senate overwhelmingly backed a bill targeting “ultra” fast-fashion platforms like Shein and Temu, banning ads and introducing eco-taxes by 2030. However, the bill has drawn criticism for easing rules on certain European brands. Read more.

EPBP joins CEN to boost PET bottle-to-bottle recycling standards. The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) has been appointed a liaison to the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), a move set to promote bottle-to-bottle recycling for PET in upcoming design for recycling legislation. Read more.

Investment News

Clean Oceans Initiative 2.0 targets €3,000,000,000 to combat marine plastic and scale circular solutions. Six major development banks (including EIB, AFD, KfW, EBRD, CDP, and ADB) have committed the funds between 2026-2030 to bolster upstream waste prevention, recycling, and circular packaging. Read more.

Cyclic Materials invests $25,000,000 to launch North America’s first rare‑earth recycling centre. Cyclic is building a “Centre of Excellence” in Kingston, Ontario, to process 500 tonnes of magnet-rich waste annually. Operations start in early 2026, with 45 skilled jobs to be created. Read more.

Heidelberg Materials expands circular construction capabilities with CCI acquisition.
The building materials company has acquired Concrete Crushers Inc - Calgary, Alberta’s largest concrete recycling firm. The move further strengthens its footprint and accelerates its focus on recycled concrete aggregates and circular solutions. Read more.

German cleantech Voltfang secures €15,000,000 to power Europe’s largest second-life battery factory. By utilising second-life and surplus batteries from the European automotive industry, the start-up aims to foster the development of an independent and resilient battery industry in Germany. Read more.

EWASTE+ acquires Take 2 Recycling to expand Northeast footprint. The electronics recycler has added the Connecticut-based processor to its network, strengthening regional service capabilities in the Northeast. The deal supports EWASTE+’s growth strategy following investment from Sidereal Capital. Read more.

That’s a wrap for the weekend. Have a great one and we’ll meet again on Monday!

Cheers to circularity,

#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy