The #cocreate Circular Design Challenge 2024 was launched last week. It is the brainchild of the Mission Network of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa in collaboration with the Craft and Design Institute (CDI), with support from the City of Cape Town. To mark the start of the programme, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos addressed eager innovators who are looking to make a difference using circular design. This is a concept where products are made to produce zero waste and be fully recyclable.
With the aim to encourage circular design, a concept where products are made to produce zero waste and be fully recyclable, the #cocreate Circular Design Challenge 2024 called on passionate Cape Town designers, innovators, students, businesses and non-profit organisations to pitch fresh ideas to drive positive change, combat circular design challenges and reduce waste.
A total of 80 innovators have been selected to participate in the programme, which began on Monday, 22 July. These include design-thinking workshops, hosted by the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town (UCT), as well as local and international experts within the four circular design focal areas – Repair and Reuse, Organic Waste, Fashion and Textile, and Consumer Education and Behaviour Change.
Following the workshops, eight finalists will be chosen in August, who will pitch their ideas and vie for four seed funding awards of R15 000 each.
Creating a circular economy requires many industries to be involved which are key economic drivers in Cape Town, including creative industries and manufacturing (clothing and textile, food and beverage, boat building).
‘The reason we fund these strategic business partners is to unlock skills and talents that will drive meaningful business impact. By fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency, we aim to ensure that industries work smarter, enhancing productivity while keeping sustainability at the forefront. Our commitment is to develop a workforce that is not only capable but also aligned with the future needs of the economy, benefiting both businesses and the planet.
‘The economic opportunity for the City is to support creative SMMEs and the informal economy to recycle, share, refurbish or repair. When our large clothing manufacturers comply with extended producer responsibility (EPR), we ensure the lifecycle of garments and goods is extended beyond the consumer.
‘It is estimated that a global circular economy scenario will create a net total of seven or eight million new jobs by 2030. Employment is created, and society benefits. I therefore challenge and encourage all innovators, SMMEs, businesses and students to design circular economy business models that fit our unique context in South Africa, create jobs and stimulate a sustainable economy,’ said Alderman Vos.
