Circularity.fm

MedTech Recycling: Johnson & Johnson’s Waste-to-Value Model

Irresistible Circular Business How can take-back programs move beyond compliance to become a primary sales driver and scaling mechanism? In this episode, Daniel Unger, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Johnson & Johnson MedTech Germany, and Michael Leitl, Executive Director at Indeed Innovation, discuss how J&J’s collection system solves a core operational problem for its customers: the waste management costs for hospitals. The conversation explores how their take-back program functions as a crucial sales and commercial lever. What you’ll hear in this episode: • The function of the take-back program as a Unique Selling Proposition that secures sales and influences procurement. • The major regulatory barriers that block cross-border logistics and the strategic decisions that facilitate rapid market scaling and partner adoption. • The long-term business case and vision for industry-wide collaboration  This episode covers the practical trade-offs and operational shifts required to build a financially and environmentally viable take-back business model, despite regulatory and cost constraints. This is the second episode in the series Irresistible Circular Business, sponsored by Indeed Innovation, the global design and innovation firm pioneering the Circular Economy. The series showcases business practices that deliver irresistible commercial and circular results, with examples from different industries across different R-strategies. People Daniel Unger, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Johnson & Johnson MedTech https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-unger-89220181/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-unger-89220181/] Michael Leitl, Executive Director at Indeed Innovation https://www.linkedin.com/in/mleitl/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mleitl/] Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/] Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:40 The J&J Collection and Take Back System 00:07:35 Hospital Motivation: Data, Costs, and Waste Reduction 00:10:59 J&J Commercial Motivation and USP 00:12:43 Scaling and Regulatory Barriers 00:19:31 Vision 2030: A Star Alliance 00:25:52 Learning from Other Industries: Value Preservation 00:32:10 Outro About Johnson & Johnson MedTech is the medical devices and technologies business of Johnson & Johnson, working across areas such as surgery, orthopaedics, cardiovascular care, and vision to help improve outcomes for patients and healthcare systems worldwide. It develops medtech solutions that combine biological and engineering expertise to make care more precise, less invasive, and better connected for clinicians and patients. On circularity and sustainability, Johnson & Johnson MedTech operates take-back and recycling programs for single-use devices and components that recover metals and plastics from items such as instruments, loaders, and other hardware so those materials can be reused in non-medical applications rather than going to landfill or incineration. These programs are active in multiple regions including Europe, the UK, the US, and markets such as New Zealand and Switzerland. Further Links 2026 MedTech Circularity Index: Benchmarking global industry leaders: https://www.indeed-innovation.com/circularity-index-medtech-2026/ [https://www.indeed-innovation.com/circularity-index-medtech-2026/] Refurbishment Guide: Scaling operations and circular revenue: https://www.indeed-innovation.com/refurbishment-the-ingredient-for-future-growth/ [https://www.indeed-innovation.com/refurbishment-the-ingredient-for-future-growth/] Circular Feasibility Study: Strategies to eliminate clinical waste: https://www.indeed-innovation.com/the-white-dot-2024-medtech-circular-economy-feasibility-study/ [https://www.indeed-innovation.com/the-white-dot-2024-medtech-circular-economy-feasibility-study/] ”The White Dot” Initiative, Practical hospital circularity via ZUKE Green, INDEED, and CIRCULARMED: https://zuke-green.de/initiative-weisser-punkt/ [https://zuke-green.de/initiative-weisser-punkt/] One-page Summary Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/medtech-recycling-johnson-johnsons-waste-to-value-model/ [https://circularity.fm/medtech-recycling-johnson-johnsons-waste-to-value-model/]

Circular Furniture: How Vitra Circle Scales Refurb via Dealers

Irresistible Circular Business How do you scale refurbishment through existing dealer networks? In this episode, Rolf Keller, Head of Circularity, explains how Vitra built its circular model around buying back, refurbishing, and reselling furniture through its dealers, saving 60 to 90% CO2 compared to new products. Co-hosted by Heiko Tullney, Executive Director at Indeed Innovation, this conversation focuses on: • The role of modular design and why backward compatibility across product generations matters • How Vitra structured dealer access to circular stock, including list pricing, visibility into inventory, and revenue sharing • The criteria behind Vitra's buyback decisions, from product age and condition to logistics and location The episode also covers how replacing seat covers solves stock mismatches in contract orders and how Vitra embeds circularity requirements into new product development. This is the first episode in the series Irresistible Circular Businesses, sponsored by Indeed Innovation, the global design and innovation firm pioneering the circular economy. The series showcases business practices that deliver irresistible commercial and circular results, with examples from different industries across different R-strategies. People Rolf Keller, Head of Circularity at Vitra https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellerrolf/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellerrolf/] Heiko Tullney, Executive Director at Indeed Innovation https://www.linkedin.com/in/heiko-tullney/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heiko-tullney/] Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 04:52 Explaining Vitra Circle for Contract 06:23 The Three Pillars of the Business Model 08:39 Commercial Structure: Costs and Revenue Streams 10:03 How Product Design Enables the Business Model 11:51 Modular Design for Repair and Reuse 14:12 Evolution of Circularity: Classics vs. Modern Design 16:44 Embedding Circularity in Development Processes 17:46 The Role of Retailers and Partners in the System 20:50 Addressing Cannibalization and Market Potential 23:46 Service Business and Partner Incentives 25:32 The Logistics of Buy-Back and Take-Back 28:06 Partner Education and Criteria for Success 29:35 Buy-Back Models: 90% are Paid Transactions 32:17 B2B Dynamics vs. B2C (eBay/Resale) 35:36 Solving Stock Mismatches through Re-upholstery 38:00 Environmental Proof and CO2 Savings 39:43 Why Circularity is Irresistible for Vitra 41:22 Expert Reflection: A Blueprint for Success 42:59 Overcoming the Barrier of Modularity 43:51 Commercial Success and De-risking the Future 44:51 Outro About Vitra is a Swiss, family-owned furniture and home furnishings company that collaborates with leading designers to create products and concepts for contemporary home, office, and public environments. Its portfolio combines classic designs with new furniture and office solutions that are developed in Switzerland and used worldwide. Within this broader design-driven profile, Vitra increasingly connects its long-standing focus on durable, high-quality furniture with circular-economy initiatives such as refurbishment and second-life programs like Circle for Contract, which return used furniture to professional use instead of disposing of it. These activities sit alongside the company’s emphasis on long-term relationships, sustainable growth, and products whose longevity supports lower resource use over their life cycle. Further Links Vitra Circle for Contract https://contract.vitracircle.com/ [https://contract.vitracircle.com/] ReCommerce Playbook https://www.indeed-innovation.com/the-recommerce-playbook-from-returns-to-revenue/ [https://www.indeed-innovation.com/the-recommerce-playbook-from-returns-to-revenue/] One-page Summary Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/circular-furniture-how-vitra-circle-scales-refurb-via-dealers/ [https://circularity.fm/circular-furniture-how-vitra-circle-scales-refurb-via-dealers/]

Circular Design: Systemic Innovation

Implementing Circular Design Principles How do you design circular systems, not just circular products? In this episode, Anne Farken from Designworks, a BMW Group Company, talks about why circular design is not only about the product itself, but about the ecosystem around it. The conversation looks at the gap between saying design should be integrated from the beginning and actually thinking product and business model together from day one. What you'll hear in this episode: • How to design the product ecosystem and integrate product development, business model, and value creation from day one • The role of designers in translating business model insights into product requirements and facilitating integration across teams • Why the more you rethink a product, the more you need tolerance for ambiguity and alignment across teams The episode also touches on why constraints and tradeoffs should be seen as creative opportunities. This is the final episode in the series Implementing Circular Design Principles, produced in collaboration with the German Design Council. The series explored how design decisions shape circular outcomes at the material, product, and system level, following the principles of Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. People Anne Farken, Associate Director Sustainability & Creative Consulting at Designworks, a BMW Group Company https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-farken-30bb823/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-farken-30bb823/] Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:15 Personal Insights on Circular Products 04:59 Ecosystem Interaction in Circular Design 08:34 Examples of Circular Products 11:56 The Role of Designers in Circular Economy 16:34 Integrating Knowledge and Expertise 20:16 Tools and Mindset for Circular Thinking About BMW Group Designworks is the innovation studio of the BMW Group. Around half of its projects are delivered for clients beyond the automotive industry through its design and creative consulting services, operating from studios in Munich, Shanghai, and Los Angeles. Working across diverse industries allows Designworks to generate valuable outside-in impulses that fuel collaborative projects with the BMW Group’s brands. In parallel, third-party clients leverage the studio’s automotive know-how by working with Designworks. Further Links Find more information about: Circular Design Summit: https://www.german-design-council.de/en/circular-design-summit [https://www.german-design-council.de/en/circular-design-summit] One-page Summary Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/circular-design-systemic-innovation/ [https://circularity.fm/circular-design-systemic-innovation/]

Circular Design: Rethinking Products

Implementing Circular Design Principles How can rethinking product design drive innovation, circularity and reduce costs? In this episode, Nicola Stattmann, Co-founder and CEO of OMC°C, explains why circular product development, when integrated from the start, leads to less investment needed.  The conversation looks at how rethinking material and component choices enable innovation and simplify manufacturing, using the Nike Flyknit's reduction from 50 components to 5 as an example. What you'll hear in this episode: • Why less materials, components, and process steps translates to reduced costs • The role of curiosity and enthusiasm in rethinking how products are made • Why designers need to make their processes transparent to gain alignment across departments The episode also explores how Stattmann applied these principles at OMC°C, building an interdisciplinary team of top experts to develop a modular urban greening system.  This episode was recorded in German. English subtitles are available on YouTube. This is the second episode in the series Implementing Circular Design Principles, produced in collaboration with the German Design Council. The series explores how design decisions shape circular outcomes at the material, product, and system level, following the principles of Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. People Nicola Stattmann, Co-founder and CEO of OMC°C at OMC°C, Büro Nicola Stattmann https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-stattmann-a5b612244/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-stattmann-a5b612244/] Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Nicola's Career and Achievements 00:39 Personal Insights on Circular Products 02:38 Exploring the Concept of Rethink with Nike Flyknit 06:35 The Importance of Circularity in Product Development 09:11 Challenges and Strategies in Product Design 15:32 OMC-C: Revolutionizing Urban Greening 20:25 Navigating Bureaucratic Hurdles 29:47 Final Thoughts on Circular Design and Impact About Büro Nicola Stattmann is a Frankfurt-based office founded by product designer Nicola Stattmann that works at the intersection of product design, materials research, and technology. OMC°C (Office for Micro Climate Cultivation) was co-founded by Nicola Stattmann. The company develops modular greening systems for building façades and urban spaces to counter heat islands and improve biodiversity. Further Links Find more information on: Circular Design Summit https://www.german-design-council.de/en/circular-design-summit [https://www.german-design-council.de/en/circular-design-summit] Nicole Stattman: https://nicolastattmann.com/ [https://nicolastattmann.com/] Nike Flynit: https://www.nike.com/flyknit [https://www.nike.com/flyknit] VERD: https://omc-c.com/ [https://omc-c.com/] One-page Summary Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/circular-design-rethinking-products/ [https://circularity.fm/circular-design-rethinking-products/]

Circular Design Principles: Overcoming Material Barriers

Implementing Circular Design Principles What should designers know about materials before product development? In this episode, Andreas Maegerlein, Head of the Creation Center Europe at BASF, talks about circular design from a material perspective, focusing on how material choices enable or limit circularity. The conversation looks at how product design is affected when materials are developed to last for decades, while products are often designed to be disposable or short-lived. What you’ll hear in this episode: • The importance of aligning material choice with product lifetime and use cycles •Why material selection need to be informed by recycling infrastructure, recycling technologies, and energy-usage • How the role of designers is evolving from showcasing quality alone toward also conveying sustainability This episode opens the series Implementing Circular Design Principles, produced in collaboration with the German Design Council. The series explores how design decisions shape circular outcomes at the material, product, and system level, following the principles of Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. People Andreas Maegerlein, Head of Creation Center Europe at BASF https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-maegerlein-06564778/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-maegerlein-06564778/] Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:41 The Scope of BASF’s Product Range 05:33 The Role of the Creation Center 06:55 Translating Design Needs into Material Science 08:45 Prerequisites for Reuse 11:08 Material Longevity vs. Product Lifespan 13:48 Supporting Highly Recyclable Design 15:31 The Complexity of Plastic Sorting and Separation 22:31 Recycling Technologies and Materials 28:09 Barriers to Adopting Recycled Materials 31:09 Industry Examples of Recycled Content 35:09 Rethinking Business Models for Circularity 36:58 Designing the Appearance of Sustainability 42:53 Outro About BASF is a global chemical company headquartered in Ludwigshafen that supplies materials and solutions to industries such as automotive, construction, packaging, and consumer goods. Alongside its broader sustainability and circular-economy program, BASF runs a network of Creation Centers where designers, engineers, and customers work with BASF experts in dedicated spaces that combine materials libraries, workshops, and digital tools to explore polymers, test applications, and develop new products with a focus on efficient use of resources and recyclability. Further Links Find more information about: Circular Design Summit: https://www.german-design-council.de/en/circular-design-summit [https://www.german-design-council.de/en/circular-design-summit] BASF Creation Center: https://www.basf.com/eg/en/products/plastics-rubber/creation_center/Ludwigshafen [https://www.basf.com/eg/en/products/plastics-rubber/creation_center/Ludwigshafen] One-page Summary Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/circular-design-principles-overcoming-material-barriers/ [https://circularity.fm/circular-design-principles-overcoming-material-barriers/]