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In the contemporary landscape of sustainability, the concept of ‘circularity’ has become an essential pillar. It is constantly cited in association with values such as resource regeneration, corporate responsibility, systemic competitiveness and value resilience. However, there is a real risk that circularity will remain confined to a ‘lexical bubble’, an evocative label but one lacking in operational substance.

For circularity to translate into a real competitive advantage, we need to ask ourselves a fundamental question: how can we transform a principle into a measurable and objective variable?

The regulatory push: towards the Ecodesign Regulation

The current European legislative scenario is forcing a decisive change of gear. The new Regulation EU about Ecodesign (ESPR – Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) marks the end of the era of generic declarations. The standard introduces stringent requirements on sustainable and circular design, including through the Digital Product Passport (DPP): the tool through which companies will have to demonstrate their environmental performance with data in hand.

We are no longer dealing with voluntary adherence, but with an obligation of transparency that requires a radical cultural shift. Circularity is not declared: it is measured and communicated.

Quality vs quantity: methodology as a strategic compass for decision-making

The debate on measurement revolves around the distinction between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Although the former is essential for inspiring and building an overall vision, only the latter allows processes to be governed:

1. From storytelling to validation: where quality describes an intention, quantity certifies a result.
2. From inspiration to planning: numerical data allows you to establish precise KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), transforming sustainability into a measurable business objective such as turnover or EBITDA.
3. From compliance to strategy: an analytical approach allows different design scenarios to be compared (Life Cycle Thinking), choosing the one that maximises material efficiency and minimises impact.

Adopting a quantitative perspective means equipping yourself with the tools to respond to the challenges of the global market. Measuring means critically analysing how each component, from raw materials to end-of-life management, contributes to the creation of shared value. It is a challenge that cuts across the organisation, involving R&D, procurement, marketing and logistics.

A good starting point for companies is to begin conducting a Gap Analysis ESPR to understand the state of the art and evaluate the next steps to be taken.

Towards a universal grammar: the technical regulatory framework

To avoid fragmentation, the market is converging towards international standards that guarantee data interoperability and performance comparability.

• UNI TS 11820: The Italian national method that provides a comprehensive set of indicators for measuring the circular use of resources in organisations.
• ISO 59020: The international standard that establishes requirements and guidelines for measuring and evaluating circularity in economic systems.
• ISO 59040 (Product Circularity Data Sheet): Currently being defined, this standard will be fundamental in structuring the exchange of information on circularity throughout the supply chain.

Conclusions: towards cultural evolution before technical evolution

Circularity is not a static goal, but a process of continuous evolution. True systemic change will occur when companies stop viewing regulations as mere bureaucratic compliance constraints and start interpreting them as levers for innovation. Measuring circularity ultimately means learning a new language to decode the complexity of our times and design products and business models capable of lasting into the future to safeguard the resources we use.

The advent of ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) marks the definitive end of the purely aesthetic or functional approach to traditional design. We are not simply facing a new regulatory paradigm, but the birth of a new industrial ontology. Through Article 5, the EU Commission no longer merely requests products with ‘less impact,’ but demands goods that are intrinsically regenerative.

In this scenario, the product ceases to be an isolated entity and becomes a fluid node within an interconnected ecosystem. If the Digital Product Passport (DPP) acts as the “nervous system” — carrying essential information along the value chain — Ecodesign represents its genetic code. Designing today means writing this code so that, for example, durability, repairability and disassembly are not accessories, but fundamental elements of profit and business resilience.

GAP Analysis: a strategic evaluation framework

To manage a transition of this magnitude, responsiveness is not enough; a proactive vision is needed to transform complexity into a map of opportunities. GAP Analysis aims to decode the objectives and requirements of European directives and translate them into a clear, dynamic and scalable state-of-the-art assessment and business strategy.

This is not a snapshot but a design scouting process that operates on multiple levels:

1. Material metabolism analysis: going beyond the simple choice of materials. Assessing how materials can ‘flow’ through production cycles, reducing dependence on virgin resources and anticipating the chemical restrictions that will be introduced by sectoral delegated acts.
2. Data system synchronisation: Compliance with the DPP requires data to be treated as a genuine raw material. It is essential to verify the company’s ability to generate, manage and transmit transparent information, ensuring that the digital infrastructure is ready to interact with international standards and market requirements.
3. Engineering durability: the challenge is to move from ‘selling ownership’ to ‘guaranteeing function’. Companies must embark on a journey to rethink the architecture of their products so that they can be maintained, updated and regenerated, creating new revenue streams linked to services and extended life cycle management.

Design as an Act of Economic Responsibility

Tackling the GAP Analysis towards ESPR means unlocking the untapped potential value of your supply chain. Companies that choose today to map their deviations from future European standards are not only mitigating the risk of non-compliance; they are building a competitive advantage based on radical trust and systemic efficiency.

The ecological transition is not a process that can be managed with old tools. It requires a synthesis of scientific rigour and strategic creativity. The goal for every company is to drive its own change, ensuring that every eco-design choice becomes a lever of competitiveness for a more robust, transparent and, above all, prosperous economy within planetary boundaries.

In a market that no longer accepts declarations of intent, measurement and preventive analysis become the only real currency for ensuring relevance, credibility and value over time.

The publication of the latest Joint Research Centre (JRC) report, ‘Preparatory study on textiles for product policy instruments’, in December 2025 marks a milestone in defining future ecodesign requirements for the textile sector. The document does not merely map the environmental impact, but outlines a genuine technical architecture on which the ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) will be based.

Redefining ‘durable clothing’: beyond physical robustness

The JRC identifies robustness as the main technical lever for extending the useful life of products and reducing production pressure. However, a necessary consideration emerges: physical robustness, while an essential condition, does not in itself guarantee the longevity of a garment, which remains linked to aesthetic and consumption variables. To objectify this dimension, a scoring system from 0 to 10 based on parameters is proposed:

• Dimensional stability and spirality: to counteract post-washing deformation.
• Mechanical resistance: focused on traction, tearing, abrasion and pilling.
• Colour fastness: to ensure aesthetic integrity over time.

Recyclability and secondary materials: a necessary synergy

One fact stands out: the extraction and production of virgin raw materials account for over 60% of the total environmental impact of the life cycle. To reverse this trend, the JRC proposes two symbiotic strategies:

• Increased recyclability (D02): focused on material simplification (preference for single materials) and ease of disassembly of non-textile components such as buttons and zips.
• Recycled content (D03): the introduction of mandatory minimum thresholds, differentiated by fibre type. While ambitious targets are set for polyester (up to 30%), the thresholds for cotton remain lower initially (5%) so as not to compromise the physical strength of the product.

Reduced Carbon Footprint and Environmental Impact

This is the point where all the previous strategies converge. The JRC clarifies that material efficiency must translate into a measurable reduction in environmental impact and Carbon Footprint.

Measurability: It is not enough to simply declare savings; calculations based on PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) methodologies that consider the entire life cycle are required.

Reduction at source: The target drives towards low-energy production processes and the elimination of inefficiencies in the supply chain, making decarbonisation an essential market requirement.

Digital traceability as a prerequisite

The report clarifies that no circularity strategy will be feasible without a robust data infrastructure. The Digital Product Passport (DPP) emerges as the key tool for truthfully communicating “technical recyclability” and secondary material content, countering the risks of greenwashing through certified chains of custody.

Finally, the document addresses the complexity of textile chemistry. With around 15,000 substances in use, the presence of ‘persistent pollutants’ (PFAS) or heavy metals is now the main obstacle to the creation of safe recycling streams. The focus therefore shifts to performance requirements that drastically limit the concentrations of substances that prevent circularity.

Conclusions

The JRC report gives us a vision of textiles where sustainability is no longer a narrative attribute, but a quantitatively measurable engineering variable. Companies are called upon to make a cultural leap: designing today means not only looking at function and aesthetics, but also anticipating the end of life of the product, ensuring transparency and integrity in every single chemical bond and fibre used.
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The European industrial landscape is undergoing an unprecedented phase of regulatory transition. Against this backdrop, on Friday 20 December 2024, the prestigious setting of the Montecitorio Press Room at the Chamber of Deputies hosted the meeting “Design & Circularity: Tools for Businesses”. The event represented a fundamental moment of synthesis between institutions, academia and the professional world to define the trajectories of competitive sustainability.

The central role of Ecodesign and the ESPR Regulation

During his speech, Marco Capellini outlined the pillars of circular design, emphasising the new EU Regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products (ESPR).

Capellini presented advanced circularity measurement tools, emphasising how the adoption of scientific metrics and mentoring strategies is essential for transforming regulatory constraints into competitive advantages. The ability to objectively measure the degree of circularity of a product is now a prerequisite for accessing international markets and responding to consumer and investor demands for transparency.

The debate, enriched by contributions from authoritative speakers, highlighted a systemic issue: the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) along innovation paths that are not burdensome but enabling. The EU legislative framework, characterised by regulations that are soon to be implemented, is firmly focused on sustainable design “by design”.

For the excellence of Made in Italy, circularity represents the new frontier of quality. Combining the aesthetics and functionality typical of Italian production with the principles of the circular economy means preserving the value of resources and reducing the environmental footprint of the country’s economy, while strengthening the resilience of supply chains.

Road map 2025: an action plan for the future

The meeting at Montecitorio was not an isolated event, but rather the founding act of a strategic work plan that will unfold throughout 2025. The goal is to create a network of technical and cultural support through a series of targeted projects that provide SMEs with the operational tools to navigate the complexities of the ecological transition.

Key figures from the political, diplomatic and scientific spheres attended the event, demonstrating the cross-cutting nature of the issue:

• On. Fabio Porta and On. Christian Diego Di Sanzo (Members of Parliament): They highlighted the importance of legislative support and representation of productive interests in decision-making forums.
• Andrea Canepari (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): Discussed the international dimension of sustainability as a tool for promoting the country’s economy.
• Marco Capellini (Marco Capellini studio and expert consultant on circularity): He oversaw the technical analysis of circularity strategies.
• Sabrina Lucibello (Sapienza University of Rome): She contributed an academic perspective on research applied to design and new materials.
• Gaetano Fausto Esposito (Tagliacarne Study Centre): Analysed the economic impact of the transition on Chambers of Commerce.
• Gianni Lattanzio (Ambientevivo): He focused attention on corporate social and environmental responsibility.

This shared path marks a decisive step towards an economy where design is not just form, but the primary tool for ensuring a regenerative future for Italian businesses.

100 leaders for the planet, foundations for the new eco-energy paradigm is the conference that was held on 26 June 2023 in Rome, in the magnificent Sala della Regina at Palazzo Montecitorio, the seat of the Chamber of Deputies.

In addition to prestigious speakers from the political and scientific worlds, architect Marco Capellini also spoke at the conference about material innovation and market scenarios towards new models of circular economy.

During his speech, architect Marco Capellini emphasised how the future of sustainability lies in the conscious choices we make.

‘It is no longer just a question of reducing environmental impact, but of designing materials and products that are intrinsically regenerative and geared towards the circular economy. Material innovation, in my view, is the driving force that enables waste to be transformed into valuable resources, reducing dependence on virgin raw materials and optimising production cycles,’ says Capellini.

With regard to corporate awareness and market scenarios, it has become clear that sustainability is no longer a cost to be borne, but rather a fundamental strategic asset. Companies that invest in material innovation and circularity today are positioning themselves as pioneers in a global market that increasingly rewards process transparency and resource regeneration, making their supply chains more resilient to supply crises.

Furthermore, regarding the urgency of changing mindsets, it emerged that the transition from a linear to a circular economy requires, first and foremost, a radical cultural shift: we must stop viewing end-of-life objects as waste and start considering them as a source of energy and materials that are still available. Only through this new lens can decarbonisation become a concrete goal and not just a declaration of intent.

The conference confirmed that the challenge of decarbonisation and efficient resource management requires widespread leadership. The integration of scientific expertise, architectural vision and forward-thinking policies is the only viable way to build a productive ecosystem capable of thriving in harmony with planetary boundaries.