31 March 2022

CLUBZERØ’s Founder & CEO headlines at this years Ellen MacArthur Foundation Roundhouse event on the Circular Economy 

We are thrilled to share that CLUBZERØ’s Founder & CEO Safia Qureshi headlined at this year's Roundhouse event hosted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation: How do we accelerate innovation towards a Circular Economy?

The event was attended by over 500 global leaders and experts in the Circular Economy. 

Safia speaks about the key challenges CLUBZERØ sees across the CE space in the context of reuse and refill. Key takeaway being that the Circular Economy is much more than recycling or redesigning existing products. 

Safia Qureshi, CLUBZERØ’s Founder & CEO said:

“Socialising the idea of reuse, the idea that you can go into a restaurant or cafe and be automatically offered reusable packaging is something that should be normal and I believe we will get there within 2 years.”

See the full talk here including the short film produced by Waterbear and commissioned by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

watch "Live from London: How do we accelerate innovation towards a circular economy?" by "Ellen MacArthur Foundation" on https://www.youtube.com/

Three key event highlights:

Reuse

Reuse was a huge focus this year as an upstream solution, with many brands showcasing their ideas on how we can accelerate reuse and refill systems to replace single-use plastics and packaging globally. 

• Algramo connects people, brands and retailers to create a Circular Economy by encouraging reuse and providing a service that cuts out the waste. 
• Back Market is leading the way for the renewable tech marketplace. The company is creating a Circular Economy and freeing the planet from electronic waste by professionally refurbing electronic devices and appliances. 
  

Rental platforms

The textiles industry is said to be the second-largest polluter with Britons throwing away around £140m worth of wearable clothes each year*. Great to see convenient rental for fashion and apparel that allow consumers to rent new outfits for every occasion without having a detrimental impact on the planet.

• Verstaire collective allows consumers to buy and sell pre-loved items fighting fashion waste by giving clothes a second chance. 
  

*Source: Independent

Plant based materials

Seaweed and plant-based packaging was another key focus as an alternative to single-use plastics in the food and beverage industry. Seawood packaging is biodegradable, abundant, grows quickly and sequesters carbon from the air making it a great alternative.

• Apeel Sciences are on a mission to cut out food waste by using materials that exist in peels, seeds and pulps of fruits and vegetables to create an extra protective seal that keeps produce fresher for longer.
• NotPla creates advanced packaging solutions made from seaweed and other natural materials as an alternative to single-use plastics.