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Doctoral project: Circular economy and remanufacturing flows in the wood and furniture industry

Public organizations, where furniture is frequently replaced, provide a unique opportunity to explore sustainable remanufacturing, reuse, and extend product lifespans. This project focuses on analyzing circular flows and developing innovative solutions in close collaboration with stakeholders.

Project information

Project title
Circular economy and remanufacturing flows in the wood and furniture industry – analysis and evaluation of systemic changes
Doctoral student
Leon Hobro
Supervisor
Professor Jimmy Johansson, Linnaeus University
Assistant supervisors
Senior lecturer Peter Lerman, Linnaeus University, associate professor Mirka Kans, Chalmers University of Technology and Linnaeus University. adjunct lecturer and doctor Elaheh Jalilzadehazhari, Uppsala University
Participating organisations
Chalmers University of Technology (project owner), Linnaeus University, Linköping University, Jönköping University School of Engineering
Financiers
The Kamprad Family Foundation, Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten), The Bridge
Timetable
2023–2028
Research subjects
Forest and wood technology, timber science (Department of Forest and Wood Technology, Faculty of Technology)
Research project
Strategies for Increased Circularity in the Wood Processing Industry (CirkuWood)
Research groups
Forest products and Forest economics
Knowledge environment
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Green sustainable development

More about the project

The doctoral project within the CirkuWood research project aims to increase circularity within the wood and furniture industry through remanufacturing, reuse, and system changes. The focus is on developing sustainable solutions to extend product lifecycles, particularly in public sector organizations, where furniture is often replaced at a high rate.

These sectors offer significant opportunities for circular strategies, as the large amount of furniture discarded could be reused or remanufactured, contributing to a more sustainable approach to the product’s lifecycle. In collaboration with stakeholders in the industry, including manufacturers, remanufacturers, suppliers, customers, and product users, the project aims to develop and analyze circular flows within the sector.

The research will evaluate barriers and the potential of circular strategies to reduce waste, decrease the demand for raw materials, and reduce the environmental impact of the wood and furniture industry. By focusing on public sector organizations as a key area, the project addresses the need for more sustainable resource management in sectors with high turnover and frequent product replacement.

The project will involve defining, collecting, and processing various types of data to evaluate the effects of circular systems. This data will support the development of practical solutions for implementing circularity within the industry, as well as identifying barriers and opportunities to improve circular furniture strategies. In addition to developing technical solutions, the project will also focus on communication and knowledge dissemination to ensure that the results reach industry practitioners and contribute to a broader understanding of the circular economy.

The overall goal is to make circular products the first choice for customers and users. Through collaboration with industry stakeholders, the project will contribute to a sustainable transformation of the wood and furniture industry and strengthen its ability to adopt circular economy practices on a large scale.

The project is part of the research conducted within the research project Strategies for Increased Circularity in the Wood Processing Industry (CirkuWood), within the research areas Forest products and Forest economics, as well as the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Green Sustainable Development.