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Beyond materials: how work and skills shape the future of reuse in Sweden’s industrial ecosystems

J. Miliute-Plepiene,Jeaneth Johansson,J. Sanne,Mikael Karlsson

Published 2025 in Cleaner Production Letters

ABSTRACT

Circular economy has been framed internationally both as an environmental necessity and as a path to foster economic development, and a just transition. Yet, despite growing policy attention, the implications of circular strategies for work and organisation remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how scaling up reuse reshapes workplace practices and industrial ecosystems — dimensions often overlooked in circular economy research. The analysis draws on ten case studies in Sweden ’ s textile and construction sectors, using semi-structured interviews, site visits, and grey literature. Building on socio-technical system theory, we extend industrial ecosystem theory by foregrounding labour capabilities and organisational transformation as central to circular transitions. Our analysis shows that enabling and disabling conditions for reuse appear across all system levels. At the micro level, high labour intensity, limited training, and emerging OHS risks constrain scaling, while problem-solving skills, continuous learning, and inclusive workplaces improve engagement and job quality. At the meso level, organisational alignment and cross-sector collaboration are critical, with construction supported by platforms, unlike for textiles. At the macro level, supportive policies, economic incentives, digitalisation, and societal acceptance are vital for scaling reuse practices. The study demonstrates that reuse cannot be scaled in isolation: it requires coordinated transformations across technological, organisational, and social domains. Historically rooted in social enterprises and public actors, reuse also remains closely tied to social goals such as inclusion and employment. Supporting these social functions while fostering private-sector innovation is essential for achieving a socially sustainable transition.

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