Refine Your Circular Strategy

This is where you’ll assess your project’s circularity by reviewing key questions across each circular strategy. Your selections here will help tailor the Circular Metal guidelines provided in the next step, ensuring they align with your design needs and sustainability goals.

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Explore Each Circular Strategy

Use the tabs below to navigate through the seven circular strategies. On the side, use the grouped buttons to toggle between Design Questions and Supply Chain Questions, depending on your focus.

1. Reduce Material Impact High

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

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Questions	Answers
Is it likely for the product to be replaced with a digital product or service?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely that various components of the product will be made from different grades of the same material?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be made using virgin materials?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be required to be optimised for weight reduction?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be made of recycled or reclaimed materials?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the design of the product to produce leftover materials which are not useful for making the same product?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

This overarching design strategy is associated with the material extraction and processing phase of a products lifecycle. It focuses on designing to reduce the raw material input to minimise waste and resource depletion by prioritising material purity.

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

2. Reduce Manufacturing Impact Medium

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

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Questions	Answers
Is it likely for components of the product to be adapted for multiple functions?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to undergo a continuous improvement process?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the selected manufacturing processes to produce useful energy as a by-product?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product’s manufacturing processes such as milling, grinding, or turning to generate waste materials?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

This overarching design strategy is associated with the manufacturing lifecycle phase. Design recommendations are given to reduce the impact of the manufacturing processes and including efficient use of energy, optimised layout of manufacturing equipment and sequencing of manufacturing processes.

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

3. Reduce Distribution Impact Medium

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

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Questions	Answers
Is it likely for the product to be stored and transported in large quantities?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require multiple relocations during use?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require identification to facilitate remanufacturing or upgrade?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

This overarching design strategy is associated with the distribution lifecycle phase. It focuses on reducing the impact of distribution, collection, and storage. The design recommendations include durability, energy-efficient transportation, and reverse logistics

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

4. Reduce Use Impact Low

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

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Questions	Answers
Is it likely for the product to use energy when it is being used or operated?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to influence user interaction or behaviour?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

This overarching design strategy is associated with the use phase of the product lifecycle. It focuses on minimising the products impact when it is being used. Design recommendations include controlled use of consumables, influencing product-user interaction, energy efficiency, and behavioural change.

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

5. Optimise Product Life High

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

Clear all

Questions	Answers
Is it likely for the product to experience cyclical loading?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require maintenance during its use phase?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require identification to facilitate upgrading it?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be disassembled or assembled to enable upgrading or maintenance?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be upgraded with future components or software?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to convey any form of aesthetic appeal to users?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

This overarching design strategy is also associated with the product’s use phase. It focuses on extending the lifespan. This design strategy places emphasis on durability and maintenance to extend the product lifespan, including associated software upgrades.

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

6. Remanufacture and Reuse High

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

Clear all

Questions	Answers
Is it likely for the product to experience cyclical loading?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product’s components to be reused in future to make the same product?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require identification to facilitate remanufacturing or reuse?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require disassembly and assembly to enable maintenance or reuse?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require decontamination to enable remanufacture or reuse?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require remote monitoring to enable maintenance for remanufacture or reuse?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to resist obsolescence to enable remanufacture or reuse?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require maintenance to enable remanufacture and reuse?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be stored and transported in large quantities to enable remanufacturing?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

7. Optimise End Of Life High

Please review the questions related to the selected circular design strategy and provide your responses.

Clear all

Questions	Answers
Is it likely for the product to be used for a different function at its end-of-life or lifecycle phase?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require transportation to enable recycling?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to require material identification to enable easy recycling?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A
Is it likely for the product to be disassembled to enable recycling?	Yes	No	Maybe	N / A

This overarching design strategy is associated with the product’s end-of-life/ lifecycle phase. It focuses on enabling closed-loop recycling at the end of a products usefulness or life.

Strategy

Dematerialisation

Principle

Material efficiency

Guideline

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Metal Guidelines

Use high strength alloys or high-performance multi-principal element alloys to design and produce long-lasting products for slowing resource loop in a circular economy.
Avoid the use of multiple grades of metals/alloys of the same material to manufacture a single product in order to aid recycling and the prevention of down cycling (using material with reduced quality than its original form after it has been recycled).

Principle

Light-weighting

Guideline

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Metal Guidelines

Use light-weight high performance multi-principal element alloys.
Ensure that the performance of the material meet the component or product requirement.

Guideline

Use light-weight designs.

Metal Guidelines

Use optimised geometry to reduce material content whilst retaining strength and structural stiffness.
Consideration should be given to design requirements such as loading due to stacking, fatigue bending, buckling strength and panel growth suppression.

Guideline

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Metal Guidelines

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

Strategy 1 of 7

Refine Your Circular Strategy

Explore Each Circular Strategy

1. Reduce Material Impact High

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

2. Reduce Manufacturing Impact Medium

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

3. Reduce Distribution Impact Medium

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

4. Reduce Use Impact Low

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

5. Optimise Product Life High

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

6. Remanufacture and Reuse High

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

7. Optimise End Of Life High

Dematerialisation

Material efficiency

Design products to use materials with high-performance characteristics.

Light-weighting

Select lightweight materials or metal alloys.

Use light-weight designs.

Use honeycomb panels or ribbed design such as in I-beams to improve strength of structures and weight reduction.

Optimise the cross-sectional areas and perform finite element analysis to ensure that the I-beam design meets the loading requirement for bending.

1. Circular Supply Chain Planning (P)

How does leadership/management in your organisation focus on circular economy initiatives?

What is the level of granularity at which circular initiatives have been implemented in your organisation?

What is the extent to which your organisation is integrated with its supply chain?

What is the extent to which supply chain in your company is aligned with the products and business model?

To what extent has your company developed collaboration mechanisms or agreements with partners to reduce, reuse or redistribute waste/products?

To what extent is responsibility for waste created by the company shared across different actors?

To what extent has your company developed data sharing mechanisms to track and trace products/waste?

To what extent has your organisation implemented training mechanisms for circular economy?

To what extent has your organisation engaged in network optimisation practices (in collaboration with supply chain partners)?

What are the primary focus areas of your financial investment in the circular economy?

To what extent are circular initiatives evaluated in your supply chain?

2. Responsible Sourcing (S)

To what extent has your organisation integrated sustainability criteria into the sourcing process?

To what extent can your organisation track and trace the primary materials and components sourced from outside?