Circular Economy Fundamentals
Understand circular principles and how they differ from the take-make-waste model.
Circular Innovation & Enterprise
Inclusive Diverse Founders NetworkSustainable & Circular Business
Reduce waste. Create value. Build a business fit for the future.
A practical workshop for entrepreneurs, small businesses, social enterprises and organisations that want to understand circular business models, develop more sustainable products and services, and communicate environmental impact more clearly.
Workshop Overview
Sustainability can be a source of innovation, not just compliance.
Circular business is about designing out waste, keeping materials and products in use for longer, and creating value in more resource-efficient and resilient ways.
This workshop helps participants move from broad sustainability ideas to practical business decisions. You will explore circular business models, product development, material choices, ESG thinking and simple ways to understand and communicate product or organisational footprint.
The emphasis is on practical action: identifying opportunities, testing ideas, seeing hands-on plastic and textile upcycling demonstrations, and building sustainability into products, services, operations and future growth.
What You'll Learn
Build practical circular and sustainable business capability.
Circular Product Development
Design for reuse, repair, durability, remanufacture and recycling.
Idea Generation with LoopLab
Turn materials, waste streams and sustainability challenges into new opportunities.
Circular Business Models
Explore reuse, repair, rental, sharing, refurbishment and take-back models.
ESG for Small Business
Understand environmental, social and governance thinking in practical terms.
Product Footprint
Map material source, processing, waste avoided, product life and end-of-life.
Sustainability Communication
Build a clearer sustainability story without vague environmental claims.
Practical Upcycling Demonstrations
See practical demonstrations of how discarded plastics and fabrics can be transformed into useful, attractive products through sorting, preparation, redesign and making.
Value & Growth
Connect sustainability to customer value, efficiency and new market opportunities.
Workshop Content
From circular thinking to a practical business action plan.
Understanding Circular Business
Circular economy principles, resource efficiency and value retention.
Identify Your Circular Opportunity
Map waste, underused materials and inefficient processes that could become opportunities.
LoopLab Idea Generation
Generate and assess practical circular product, service and business model ideas.
Design for Circularity
Consider materials, durability, repairability, reuse, recyclability and end-of-life.
Circular Business Models
Explore repair, resale, rental, sharing, take-back and refurbishment models.
ESG Without the Jargon
Understand environmental, social and governance priorities for smaller organisations.
Mini Product Footprint Mapping
Map origin, production, transport, waste avoided, product life and end-of-life.
Your Circular Business Action Plan
Choose one sustainability opportunity and define practical next steps to test it.
Workshop Journey
Move from problem to product, impact and next step.
Discover
Identify a material, waste stream, challenge or opportunity.
Generate
Create potential circular product or service ideas.
Select
Choose the strongest concept based on value and feasibility.
Prototype
Think through how the concept could be made or tested.
Measure
Map environmental, social and business impact.
Act
Define a practical next step to move the idea forward.
Practical Demonstrations
See circular innovation in action.
The workshop includes practical demonstrations showing how everyday waste materials can be turned into new products, helping participants connect circular economy ideas with real making, product development and enterprise opportunities.
From Discarded Plastic to New Products
Follow the process from collecting and sorting suitable plastics through preparation, material transformation, shaping and finishing.
- Identify and sort suitable plastic waste.
- Prepare materials for safe reuse and processing.
- Explore shredding, melting, moulding and forming principles.
- See examples such as coasters, trays, bowls, tiles, accessories and small homeware.
- Discuss how recycled-plastic products can become viable circular business ideas.
From Unwanted Fabrics to Higher-Value Products
Explore practical ways to extend the life of textiles by redesigning, repairing, combining and repurposing existing fabrics.
- Assess garments and fabric for reuse potential.
- Explore repair, reconstruction and creative redesign techniques.
- Combine textile offcuts and surplus fabrics into new products.
- Consider accessories, bags, homeware, fashion pieces and textile-based products.
- Connect textile upcycling to product storytelling, pricing and market opportunity.
01Collect
Identify suitable waste materials.
02Sort & Prepare
Clean, separate and assess materials.
03Redesign
Generate ideas for a new use or product.
04Make
Transform the material through practical processes.
05Finish
Refine the product for use, display or sale.
06Create Value
Connect the product to customers, impact and enterprise.
Who It's For
For people who want sustainability to become practical business action.
Aspiring Entrepreneurs
People developing an environmentally responsible business or circular product idea.
Small Business Owners
Businesses looking to reduce waste, improve efficiency or strengthen sustainability.
Circular & Creative Founders
Makers and designers working with reuse, repair, upcycling or recycled materials.
Social Enterprises
Organisations combining commercial activity with social or environmental impact.
Community & Charity Organisations
Staff and leaders exploring sustainability and circular community initiatives.
Intrapreneurs
Employees developing greener products, processes or services inside organisations.
Your Workshop Output
Mini ESG & Product Footprint Canvas
Leave with a practical canvas connecting your product or business idea to environmental, social and commercial impact.
Your canvas will help you map:
- Materials and resource inputs.
- Waste reduced, reused or avoided.
- Product life and end-of-life options.
- Environmental and social value.
- Your next circular innovation step.
Inclusive Diverse Founders Network
Ready to build a more sustainable and circular business?
Join the network to access this workshop alongside practical training, mentoring, business coaching and founder connections.