Digital platforms for circular design. A comparative study, towards a tool for Made in Italy

This contribution reports the results of a study conducted in a PNRR Research Project, within the MICS (Made in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile) Extended Partnership. Considering the current obstacles in the transition to Circular economy in many value chains, and the pressing needs highlighted by policies such as the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the recently adopted Ecodesign Regulation, the Project aims to promote the use of circular materials in the Italian furniture industry, by enabling the connection among different stakeholders in the value chain through the creation of a digital tool fostering data exchange related to materials, allowing waste valorization into circular materials and products. The contribution focuses specifically on the analysis and benchmarking of 25 existing digital tools supporting circular design in different sectors, among which 9 significant cases were identified and examined. Their comparative analysis produced the identification of 5 operational models pertaining to these main platforms allowing the interaction between different stakeholders around materials (reclaimed, recycled, by-products, etc.) and the exchange of information to enable the increase of circularity. Thus, based on the results of the benchmarking study presented here, many elements of interest and ideas emerged for the development of the digital tool currently being defined within the Research, which will be part of the broader platform developed by MICS. Research perspectives open in the potential linking of the Project platform, under development, with other new national tools.