The Selling Circular Podcast

Grayson Shor, an expert in circular economy and battery sustainability walks Sabira and Garr through the importance of batteries in the green energy transition, the challenges of battery recycling, and the innovations in battery technology. Grayson shares insights on the role of policy, market trends, and the economic implications of transitioning to a circular economy. The conversation highlights...

In this episode of Selling Circular, hosts Sabira Lakhani and Garr Punnett engage with Constanza Gomez, co-founder of Sortile, to discuss the pressing challenges and innovative solutions in textile recycling. They explore the complexities of the fashion supply chain, the importance of technology in identifying materials, and the impact of new regulations on the industry. Constanza shares insights...

Tessa from the Chicago Tool Library shares how this grassroots organization empowers communities through tool-sharing, fosters resilience, and redefines sustainability. Learn how they’ve grown from a small space to a 7,000 sq/ft hub offering everything from camping gear to disaster-response tools, while tackling climate challenges and building connections. Discover their innovative pay-what-you-ca...

In this conversation, the hosts and guest John Mulrow delve into the concept of degrowth, exploring its implications for sustainability and social justice. They discuss the misconceptions surrounding degrowth, emphasizing that it is not about reducing everything or advocating for recession, but rather about intentionally downscaling the economy to achieve ecological and social justice goals. The c...

In this episode, we discuss the intersection of commerce and sustainability, focusing on the global initiative to create an international plastics treaty. We explore the impact of plastics on society, the challenges of negotiating the treaty, and the importance of stakeholder engagement. The conversation emphasizes the need for reduction targets, the role of technology in the circular economy, and...

In this conversation, Aleksandra Plewa shares the inspiring journey of EcoShip, a non-profit organization focused on reusing packaging materials to support small businesses and reduce waste. The discussion covers the origins of EcoShip, its evolution from a simple idea to a structured non-profit, and the challenges faced in the recycling landscape. Aleksandra emphasizes the importance of community...

In this conversation, Stephanie Phillips discusses her work in the City of San Antonio's Office of Historic Preservation and its intersection with the circular economy. She explains the importance of deconstruction in preserving cultural heritage and reducing waste, and how her office engages with the community to promote these initiatives. The conversation also covers the challenges of navigating...

In this conversation, Garr, Ben, and Sabira discuss the innovative work being done by Cambium in the realm of circular economy and wood supply chains. Ben Christensen shares insights into how Cambium is addressing the massive waste problem in the wood industry by creating regenerative supply chains that utilize wasted materials. The discussion also touches on the complexities of managing a multi-f...

In this engaging podcast episode, Annie Agle from Cotopaxi shares insights into the company's circular economy initiatives and sustainable practices. She discusses their approach to using responsible, repurposed, and recycled materials, emphasizing the importance of deadstock fabrics in reducing environmental impact. Annie explains Cotopaxi's framework for material selection and their commitment t...

In this insightful episode, we sit down with François Servon, founder of Green Gooding, an innovative appliance rental service in Brooklyn, NY. François shares his journey from humanitarian work in Africa to launching a circular economy startup in the US. Highlights include: How observing waste management differences between Africa and the US inspired Green Gooding's concept The unique business mo...

The Ellen Macarthur Foundation found that addressing environmental and social problems created by the fashion industry would provide a $192 billion overall benefit to the global economy by 2030 with the annual value of clothing discarded prematurely is more than $400 billion. In this episode of Selling Circular, Garr Punnett and Sabira Lakhani interview Marisa Adler about the complexities of texti...

In this episode of Selling Circular, Garr Punnett and Sabira Lakhani engage with Andrew McCue from Metabolic, discussing the transformative potential of the circular economy. They explore the challenges of implementing circular practices, the importance of building trust with public entities, and the need for place-based solutions tailored to local contexts. The conversation emphasizes the signifi...

In this episode of Selling Circular, Garr Punnett and Sabira Lakhani discuss the innovative world of reusable cups with Brittany Gamez, COO of Muuse. The conversation explores the challenges and successes of implementing reusable packaging systems, the technology behind Muuse's platform, and the importance of consumer behavior and trust in driving sustainability. Brittany shares insights from the...

In this episode of Selling Circular, Garr Punnett and Sabira Lakhani engage with Amanda Lee Smith, founder of Monday Creative, to explore the intersection of marketing and the circular economy, particularly in the fashion and apparel industry. They discuss the role of agencies in circular marketing, the importance of consumer education, and the challenges of changing perceptions around pre-owned p...

In this episode of Selling Circular, Garr and Sabira interview Mike Newman, CEO of Returnity, discussing the challenges and opportunities in the reusable packaging industry. They explore the importance of understanding consumer behavior, the role of B2B solutions, and the impact of regulations on sustainability efforts. Mike shares insights from his journey in the industry, emphasizing the need fo...

The conversation revolves around the experience of attending the Circularity 24 conference. We all discuss the importance of energetic presentations and engaging the audience. Circularity 24 was not our first rodeo! We all discuss the evolution topics, the inclusion of different industries, and the importance of community input. We all also suffered from conference FOMO and the challenge of choosi...

Sabira and Garr explore the concept of the right to repair, the decline of repair shops and the impact of capitalism on repairability. The conversation also touches on the origins of the right to repair movement and the surprising role of IBM in shaping repair practices. Our conversation concludes with a discussion on the repair manifesto and the community of repair advocates that leads right into...

Sabira Lakhani and Garr Punnett start out the podcast with the existential nature of founding not just a solution based company but also a circular company with the challenges and opportunities it presents. They explore the growth model of Amazon as an example of a successful business model and discuss the importance of understanding the current linear economy and finding clues in broken models. T...

In the NERD OUT section of the podcast, Sabira and Garr discuss the concept of industrial ecology and its connection to the circular economy. They explore the principles of industrial ecology and industrial symbiosis, which involve bridging biology with industry. They also highlight the importance of systems thinking and visualizing the interconnectedness of different industries and their impact o...

This week we explore the process of selling circular solutions and the challenges faced in the industry. We discuss in the frame of Canoa's platform and applications, which provide a resource for the architectural, engineering, and construction community to find sustainable products and secondhand furnishings. The discussion highlights the importance of meeting users where they're at and making th...

Garr & Sabira continue to introduce new topics to one another, delving into the topic of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and its importance in setting global standards. They explain the history and purpose of ISO, including its role in defining measurements and discuss the ongoing voting process for defining circular economy standards within the ISO. As a part of the inter...

In this conversation, Garr and Sabira discuss the concept of systems thinking and its application in the context of the built environment industry. They explore the various stakeholders involved in the industry and the potential for individual influence and collective action. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of systems and the need for collaboratio...

Sabira and Garr cover various topics related to waste management, circular economy, and entrepreneurship. It begins with a discussion on Starbucks' reusable cup and the concept of prototyping reusable products. Sabira shares her experience working in waste management in Bangalore, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the industry. The conversation then explores the concept of self-help...

In this episode, Garr and Sabira discuss the rise of automotive remanufacturing and how companies like Stellantis and BMW are embracing circularity in their designs. They explore the concept of building circular ecosystems and the potential for shared and networked use of circular cars. They also discuss the considerations for material makeup and reusability in circular car designs. Later in the e...

Beni is an aggregator that makes shopping secondhand easy and accessible. The team focuses on providing a seamless shopping experience and aims to make buying secondhand as convenient as buying new. They believe that resale should be a fundamental part of the market and are working towards a future where people view their purchases as assets. Beni's revenue model is primarily affiliate-based, and...