In the heart of Sweden’s industrial landscape, a quiet revolution is taking place, one that’s not just about recycling materials but rethinking the very nature of work and skills. This shift, explored in a recent study published in *Cleaner Production Letters* (translated from Swedish as *Letters on Cleaner Production*), is reshaping the country’s textile and construction sectors, offering valuable insights for industries worldwide.
At the forefront of this research is Jurate Miliute-Plepiene, a researcher at the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute in Stockholm. Her work delves into the often-overlooked aspects of circular economy strategies, particularly how scaling up reuse impacts workplace practices and industrial ecosystems.
The study, based on ten case studies, reveals that the path to a circular economy is not just about materials but also about people and processes. “Enabling and disabling conditions for reuse appear across all system levels,” Miliute-Plepiene explains. At the micro level, she found that high labour intensity and limited training can hinder progress, while problem-solving skills and continuous learning can boost engagement and job quality.
The research also highlights the importance of organisational alignment and cross-sector collaboration at the meso level. For instance, the construction sector benefits from platforms that facilitate reuse, unlike the textile sector. At the macro level, supportive policies, economic incentives, digitalisation, and societal acceptance are crucial for scaling reuse practices.
The implications for the energy sector are significant. As industries strive to reduce waste and improve efficiency, understanding the role of work and skills in circular economy strategies becomes paramount. The study suggests that reuse cannot be scaled in isolation; it requires coordinated transformations across technological, organisational, and social domains.
Miliute-Plepiene’s work underscores the need to support social functions like inclusion and employment while fostering private-sector innovation. This balanced approach is essential for achieving a socially sustainable transition. As industries grapple with the challenges of circularity, this research offers a roadmap for navigating the complex interplay between work, skills, and reuse.
In the words of Miliute-Plepiene, “We need to think beyond materials. The future of reuse lies in our ability to adapt and transform our workplaces and industrial ecosystems.” This insight could very well shape the future of the energy sector and beyond, paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive industrial landscape.