What does the digital product passport create?
The EU adopted a battery law, ecodesign rules and right to repair, and bans destroying unsold clothes. How the rules tighten.
Full answer in the deck
LAST UPDATED: October 10, 2026
See where the circular economy actually stands today
The circular economy is a market made almost entirely by law: a rule lands, a business appears. Miss the rule and you miss the market. You'll get the latest update here.
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What's included in this report
Whether you end up investing in the circular economy or building in it, we have you covered: twelve sections, the whole picture, updated.
- Market definitionWhat is this market about?Circular economy can mean resale, repair, recycling, or software proving where a material came from. We start from a clear definition, so you know exactly what we are counting.
- Market opportunityWhere are the opportunities?New European rules are arriving on a fixed timetable while funding for the sector dropped sharply. We collected the latest signals and show you what is hot right now, and what is not anymore.
- Market sizeHow big is it really?Most figures here come from the gap between what we waste and what we reuse, converted into a market. We run our own first-principles analysis and show you the calculation, so you can trust the result.
- Pain pointsWhat are the problems to fix?A brand gets an obligation it did not choose, a recycler cannot get enough material, and the shopper compares prices. We show you where the frustrations are, and who is ready to pay to fix them.
- Tech & infraWhat's the latest tech?Material passports, sorting robots, chemical recycling: some of it runs at scale and much of it does not. We tell you where things stand today, what is still being built, and what comes next.
- Value creationWhich business models work?Some companies sell compliance software, some run take-back for brands, and some sell the material itself. We give you the business models that work today, and where the money is really made.
- Market challengesWhat are the blockers?Rules exist but are not always enforced, material is scarce, and nobody wants to pay the extra cost. We tell you what is still unsolved, what is already settled, and how much each one could slow this market down.
- Growth driversWhat are the growth drivers?Regulation is the answer everybody gives, and it does not say which parts become real businesses. We walk you through what could make this market explode, and what is still missing to get there.
- Investor betsWhat do investors bet on?Funding for this sector fell by more than half in a single year, and the mood changed with it. You will see what investors love right now, and what they will not look at anymore.
- Top playersWho are the startups?You know the big waste companies. The startups brands actually call when a new rule lands are far less visible. We show you the hottest startups, including the ones under the radar, on clear market maps.
- Startup killersWhat kills startups?A model that only works with a subsidy, material you cannot secure, and brands that take years to sign. We will show you the patterns behind the failures, so you know what to watch for if you build or invest here.
- Startup strategiesHow to win this market?A few companies turned an obligation brands resent into a service they renew every year. We will show you what the winners did differently, so you know what to reproduce.
Some of the questions we answer inside
A sample of six, from 196+ slides.
Can secondhand outweigh a marketplace?
Vinted went from 20% of Etsy's value in 2019 to 1.6 times it, on secondary sales rather than new rounds.
Full answer in the deck
Which circular models actually earn?
One resale app removed seller fees, charged buyers instead and turned a profit across Europe. How secondhand became a daily habit.
Full answer in the deck
What does banning destruction change?
Large firms in the EU may no longer destroy unsold clothes, and repair duties apply too. Why new laws create demand for resale.
Full answer in the deck
Who pays for the collection infrastructure?
Cities want brands to pay all collection costs, while brands want to keep control. Where brands, recyclers and cities pull apart.
Full answer in the deck
Who is paying attention to circular economy now?
Searches for eco-friendly brands rose steadily, well before the EU rules made the claims enforceable.
Full answer in the deckWhy we built this deck
The circular economy is mostly a market created by law. Repair, reuse and recycling become real businesses when a regulation makes throwing things away expensive, so the opportunities tend to follow legislation more closely than consumer demand.
For a long time, circularity was sold as a consumer story: people would rent, swap and buy secondhand because they cared. Some do, but more of the money now comes from producer responsibility rules, product passports and bans on destroying unsold goods, and investors have become pickier.
If you’re building or investing in the circular economy, you need to know which rules create paying customers, which business models cover their cost per item, and who will fund sorting and recycling. We built this deck to give you that picture quickly, without making you read every national scheme one at a time. And because new rules can reshape this market within months, we’ll send you the updated version every quarter.
Save hours of messy research
Weeks of reading, cross-checking and dead ends, already done. Here is what you can check for yourself on every page.
- One view instead of fifty tabsDozens of reports, filings and announcements compressed into a page you read in seconds
- The method is written downHow each number was built is explained on the slide, not hidden in a footnote
- Updated every single quarterNew rounds, new clearances, figures rechecked, and the date printed on the cover
- Our sources and databases are yoursLinks to every source we used, and to the databases behind them, so you can dig yourself
Questions?
What exactly do I get?
A 196+ slide PDF, downloadable right after checkout.
Who is this report for?
Founders, investors, operators and strategists who need a clear view of the market before they build, invest, partner or reposition.
What is your market definition?
Products and services that keep materials in use: reuse and repair, resale infrastructure, recycling and sorting technology, materials traceability and the compliance software around them. Conventional waste collection and carbon offsetting are out.
Do you have funding data?
Yes, we have tracked every single deal, with all the available data: date, company, what it does, category, stage, deal size, HQ country and region, lead and strategic investors, founding year, etc. Email us and we'll send it to you.
Do you have startup data?
Yes, we rank every company we follow, with revenue, valuation and multiple numbers, plus category and segment, so you can sort and compare instead of reading a list. Email us and we'll send it to you.
Can I get future updates?
Yes. We update every deck each quarter. With the complete deck, just send us an email and we'll send you the next update, along with the latest version of both databases.
Can I get a company invoice?
Yes. Add your company name at checkout, or email us and we'll send one.
Any guarantee?
If the deck doesn't hold up to what this page shows, tell us and we'll refund you. No forms.
Is this a one-time payment?
Yes, both options are a single payment. Nothing renews, nothing is charged again, and there is nothing to cancel.
Can I get a discount?
Yes. Use NEWMARKET for 20% off two reports, or NEWMARKETMAX for 30% off five or more. The codes work on any mix of markets.
Still have a question?
Email team@newmarketpitch.com and we reply within 24 hours.
Get the circular economy report
This market confuses a lot of smart people. A business model here can disappear with one line in a regulation. Here, you'll get the latest numbers on everything that matters.
A snapshot of today
The essentials
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- Market definition
- Market opportunity
- Market size
- Pain points
- Tech & infra
- Value creation
- Market challenges
- Growth drivers
- Investor bets
- Top players
- Startup killers
- Startup strategies
The full picture
The complete deck
All 12 sections — Updated 2 days ago
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- Market definition
- Market opportunity
- Market size
- Pain points
- Tech & infra
- Value creation
- Market challenges
- Growth drivers
- Investor bets
- Top players
- Startup killers
- Startup strategies
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