Almere makes work of the circular economy

This week is the national Week of the Circular Economy. Also in Almere, this is a week full of inspiring examples of what is possible in the field of circular economy.

On Monday 1 February 2021, Circular Economy Week will be kicked off with a National Circular Economy Conference with the theme 'The Tipping Point'. Besides Almere's contribution to this, there is also plenty happening for and in our own city.

Steiger Festival
Last year, many people enjoyed the first edition of the Steiger Festival. This year, the Steiger Festival is offering two different packages packed with circular products. This allows residents of Almere to discover local circular products, whilst supporting their makers at the same time. More information about the hampers can be found at almere.nl/steigerfestival and on the Steiger Festival’s social media channels. The hampers will be delivered on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 February 2021.

Winner of the ‘Upcycle used tins’ competition
On Friday 5 February, the winner of the ‘Upcycle used cans’ competition will be announced via a live stream on the Steiger Festival’s Facebook page. After all, those cans still end up on the streets far too often. So it’s high time to come up with a different use for them. The winner will receive a Steiger Festival package and the chance to develop their idea into a marketable product, thereby securing a sales pitch at the Steiger Festival 2021.

Upcyclecentrum digital expedition
On Saturday 6 February, the Upcycle Centre in Almere Haven is organising a digital expedition through this gem of a venue in the city. Together with its entrepreneurs, the Upcycle Centre shows visitors that there is no such thing as waste; rather, waste is a raw material for new products. During the digital expeditions, viewers can meet the three entrepreneurs based at the Upcycle Centre who turn old materials into something new: fashion designer Laura Meijering from Unravelau (1.30 pm), Joost Bosker and Erik Fakkeldij from 3-Cycle (2.30 pm) and jewellery designer Isolde (3.30 pm). You can register for the expeditions at almere.nl/steigerfestival.

Magazine and podcast
The City of Almere has compiled stories from Almere-based circular entrepreneurs and circular projects in the city into the digital magazine *Almere’s ‘Green Booklet’*. In addition, the City of Almere has launched the podcast *‘Green and Healthy Almere’*. To mark Circular Economy Week, this podcast series kicks off at the Upcycle Centre. Here, presenter Nadia Zerouali speaks to Laura Meijering, founder and creative director of the sustainable fashion label Unravelau. You’ll also hear from Aaliyah Saleh, who launched the first sustainable teen fashion brand at the age of thirteen, and Reint Jan Renes, a behavioural scientist and expert in ‘sustainable behaviour’. The first episode, ‘Circular Fashion: Wearing and Being Worn’, is now available on Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.