Start with the use phase, not the scrap phase
Use circular design thinking to move circularity decisions into the product brief rather than the end-of-life plan.
Circular design changes the brief. That is why it has more leverage than end-of-life messaging. A linear design process often asks circular questions too late: after material selection, after component integration, or after commercial incentives have been locked. At that point, teams can still optimize, but they are negotiating around decisions that already created waste and complexity. Where leverage sits Upstream decisions shape material choice, maintenance access, compatibility, ownership model, return flows, and user behavior. Those are not technical footnotes. They determine whether reuse, repair, refurbishment, or remanufacture are realistic later. What good teams do differently Strong teams bring circular…
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