What is circular economy?
The concept of circular economy is easiest to explain if you also look at what its opposite is – the linear economy.
Population growth, economic growth and increasing prosperity mean that global demand and resource use are also rising. More people on earth want to consume as people in the West have done. However, the earth's resources are not infinite, nor do they grow in line with demand.
We therefore need to rethink how goods are produced and how we use them. Instead of the traditional "linear" thinking of production, use and waste that leads to the depletion of the earth's resources and large mountains of garbage, we need to think circularly. To make use of materials that can be used to manufacture new products.
Circular economy is about efficient and sustainable use of resources. Materials and products must remain in the economic cycle with the highest possible value for the longest possible time and be used as many times as possible.
In a circular economy, materials are recycled. Therefore, it is important to look at how products are designed and what chemicals are added so that the material can best be reused. But it is also important to prevent waste of resources, for example through a long service life, high quality and the ability to replace parts and repair. The aim is to get more out of less by using fewer materials and increasing recycling and reuse.
How does the Nordic Swan Ecolabel work with circular economy?
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is an effective tool for promoting the circular economy. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel's requirements take into account the entire life cycle of a product or service, meaning everything from raw materials and production to use and recycling. For example, we set requirements for renewable, recycled and sustainably produced raw materials. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel sets tough requirements for chemicals, ensuring that materials are not "contaminated" and can be easily recycled and reused. Requirements for reduced resource use and energy efficiency are crucial aspects.
A Nordic Swan Ecolabelled product must be of good quality and last a long time. Take a sofa, for example: it should be repairable, have replaceable parts and be easy to disassemble. Packaging should be optimised to minimise waste. Consider a bottle of shampoo: the shampoo should be effective so that the hair is clean with a small amount of shampoo. The packaging should be well-filled and compact, to reduce transportation impact.