Innovating the Circular Future: Pathways to Sustainable Growth

Dear Colleagues,

In an era marked by pressing environmental challenges and increasing demands for responsible business practices, the pursuit of sustainable growth has never been more urgent—or more promising. As the global economy confronts the impacts of climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and rising waste and pollution, there is a clear need for transformative approaches that rethink how we produce, consume, and manage resources.

The circular economy has emerged as a compelling model that offers a regenerative and restorative alternative to traditional linear systems. By closing resource loops and designing waste out of the system, the circular economy redefines how products are created, used, and repurposed, driving sustainable growth for businesses and societies alike. This paradigm shift is being accelerated by technological innovation, which enables scalable solutions that integrate ecological sustainability with economic performance.

Leading enterprises are pioneering this transition by embedding circular principles into their supply chains, harnessing breakthrough technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and advanced recycling. These technologies not only enhance operational efficiency and transparency but also empower consumers to participate in the circular economy through initiatives such as product take-back schemes, resale platforms, and collaborative consumption models.

At the same time, a new wave of conscious consumerism is shaping the marketplace. Consumers increasingly expect businesses to act as stewards of sustainability and are actively supporting brands that align with their environmental values. This convergence of corporate innovation and consumer activism presents unprecedented opportunities to reimagine sustainable production, consumption, and value creation.

Despite growing interest in circular economy practices and the role of technological and business innovation in driving sustainable transformation, many questions remain unanswered. How can businesses and consumers effectively collaborate to accelerate circularity? What emerging technologies hold the greatest potential for scalable circular solutions? How can firms measure the true impact of circular strategies on sustainability outcomes?

This Special Issue, "Innovating the Circular Future: Pathways to Sustainable Growth", invites scholars and practitioners to explore cutting-edge research and practical insights at the intersection of the circular economy, technological and business innovation, and sustainability. Our aim is to foster a comprehensive dialog that advances both theoretical understanding and practical application in this critical field.

We welcome original empirical research (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods), theoretical papers, conceptual frameworks, and literature reviews that contribute to the ongoing discourse on circular economy innovation. Submissions should offer actionable insights for businesses, policymakers, and consumers, providing strategies to accelerate the transition toward a circular and sustainable future.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Circular economy strategies and business models;
• Technological innovations enabling circular practices (e.g., AI, blockchain, IoT);
• Sustainable production and consumption patterns;
• Circular supply chain management and logistics;
• Recycling, upcycling, and waste-to-value approaches;
• Lifecycle assessment and sustainable product design;
• Consumer participation and environmental activism;
• Sharing economy and collaborative consumption platforms;
• Policy frameworks supporting circular innovation;
• Metrics and indicators for circularity and sustainability performance.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and building a body of work that can inform and inspire the circular innovations of tomorrow.

Prof. Dr. Ting Chi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.