International experience in developing circular economy-friendly goods and services for children

Abstract

Using the traditional linear economy model which follows a ”take-make-dispose” process pattern has contributed to numerous issues of ecological, economic and social order, the aggregation of which prompted the development of a new paradigm in the economic system that will focus on the reuse and/or return the waste in the production process - the circular economy, which has a circular process pattern ”take-make-use-repair/reuse-recycle/return-make”. By implementing this new model and by developing circular economy-friendly goods and services the shortcomings of the traditional linear model can be reduced by creating less pollution, new jobs, reducing the dependence on raw materials supply, stimulating innovations, making changes in the demand. One of the target groups of the developers of circular economy-friendly goods and services which is very important not only in short-term, but especially in the long-term development of this new model, is the children. The reason behind targeting this group is not only the extension of the customer base by targeting another group of people, but also the developing of a circular economy- friendly mindset in the younger generations, from where stems the purpose of this paper, which is to present the diversity of the goods and services that are oriented towards children and that are developed in the framework of the circular economy paradigm in different world countries.