The Circular Coffee Break

About The Circular Coffee Break

The Circular Coffee Break is a podcast about rethinking how we design, use, and reuse the resources that shape our world. Hosted by Michael Hanf, the podcast dives into the heart of the circular economy with leaders, innovators, and practitioners whose work and lived experiences offer a way into the urgent questions facing businesses, societies, and the planet. How do we move beyond linear take-make-waste models? When do we take responsibility for the systems we’ve created, and how do we redesign them for resilience and regeneration? What happens when circularity shifts from a nice-to-have to a core principle of business and a necessity to stay competitive? Guests come from diverse fields: entrepreneurs and engineers, policymakers and designers, activists and investors. Some conversations explore cutting-edge innovations in material science, AI, or business models, while others delve into the challenges of implementing circularity in industries like fashion, electronics, or construction. What matters is not just what they do, but why it matters: the values, struggles, and breakthroughs that drive them to push boundaries and redefine success. The discussions span the critical questions shaping the future of sustainability. They examine the role of policy and regulation, the intersection of circularity and technology, and the social and economic shifts required to scale circular solutions. They also tackle the tensions between idealism and pragmatism, the trade-offs of transitioning to circular systems, and what it means to lead change in a world resistant to it. Some episodes begin with global challenges, like climate change, resource scarcity, or waste crises. Others start with personal journeys: the story of a founder who turned waste into a business, a designer who reimagined a product’s lifecycle, or a leader who transformed their company’s purpose. They might explore the realities of circular supply chains, the ethics of consumption, or the psychology of behavioural change. At the center of the podcast are questions of agency and impact. How do we turn ideas into action? What does it take to challenge the status quo and build systems that regenerate rather than deplete? How do we balance ambition with feasibility, and urgency with patience? And what does it mean to keep pushing forward when progress is slow, uncertain, or met with resistance? Michael brings over a decade of experience in sustainability, strategy, and business development to these conversations. His approach creates space for guests to share not just their successes, but their doubts, failures, and the hard-won lessons that come from trying to do things differently. The result is honest, thought-provoking discussions that value action over theory, collaboration over competition, and long-term thinking over short-term gains. Whether the conversation is about redesigning products for longevity, navigating the complexities of circular policy, or scaling innovations that challenge the norm, each episode asks: What does it take to make circularity the default? The Circular Coffee Break is for anyone curious about how we can build a future where waste is designed out, resources are kept in use, and nature is regenerated. Conversations that don’t just ask what if but what’s next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Michael Hanf

Category

business · education · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Jan 2023

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

95 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026

   #82 - Circular Supply Chains 2.0

   Three years ago, circularity was still being run out of sustainability teams. What has changed since, and why are supply chain professionals suddenly the ones driving it? In this episode of Circular Coffee Break (https://circularcoffeebreak.com/), Michael welcomes back Deborah Dull (https://www.deborahdull.com/), Managing Partner at Trillium Digital Services (https://trillium.digital/), founder of the Circular Supply Chain Network (https://www.circularsupplychain.network/), and one of the leading voices in circular supply chains. Deborah first joined the show in Season 1 back in January 2023, and a lot has happened since. Deborah explains why circularity has shifted from a sustainability initiative to an operations strategy. She describes how de-manufacturing is becoming a local sourcing strategy, why "sovereignty of materials" resonates from Washington to Beijing, and why recycling, sixty years in, remains the circle of last resort. She shares real examples, from Toyota's 300-mile car disassembly operation in the UK (https://mag.toyota.co.uk/toyota-circular-factory/) to AWS disassembling and upgrading data center servers (https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/how-aws-data-centers-reuse-retired-hardware), and introduces the Circular Supply Chain Network's concept of the hundred-mile supply chain. Together, Michael and Deborah dig into the hard parts of scaling. They discuss the chicken-and-egg problem of supply and demand for secondary materials, why volume guarantees and industry coalitions may be the missing market signal, and why supply chain professionals still aren't being given a clear problem statement. They also explore the infrastructure gap, from second-chance employment as decentralized urban mining to the tariffs and policies that may quietly build the circular economy, and why AI and agentic systems may be the only way circular supply chains will ever truly scale. Why listen? Understand why circularity has moved from sustainability teams into operations, and why that changes everything. Learn why recycling should be the circle of last resort, and where the real value sits on the butterfly diagram. Hear practical examples of circular supply chains at work today, from car disassembly to data center remanufacturing. Discover how volume guarantees, industry coalitions, and policy instruments can create the market signals secondary materials need. Explore how second-chance employment can regenerate communities while solving the de-manufacturing labor gap. Find out why AI and agent-to-agent coordination may be the key to scaling circular supply chains beyond manual matchmaking. Whether you work in supply chain, sourcing, sustainability, or policy, or you're simply curious how we get from promising pilots to circular supply chains that actually scale, this conversation offers a pragmatic, operationally grounded view of where circularity is heading next. Keywords: circular supply chain, circular economy, circularity, sustainable operations, secondary materials, remanufacturing, de-manufacturing, urban mining, recycled materials, material sovereignty, supply chain resilience, local sourcing, hundred-mile supply chain, volume guarantees, industrial symbiosis, circular markets, second-chance employment, supply chain sustainability, AI in supply chain, agentic AI, tariffs, CBAM, Toyota circular economy, AWS remanufacturing, Deborah Dull, Circular Supply Chain Network, Trillium Digital Services, Circular Coffee Break podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   21 Oct 2026

   #81 - The Future of Circular Fashion & Textiles

   What does it take to transform one of the world’s most polluting industries from within? In this episode of Circular Coffee Break, Emilia Gädda (https://www.stjm.fi/en/henkilo/emilia-gadda-2/), Chief Advisor of Sustainability and Circular Economy at Finnish Textile and Fashion (https://www.stjm.fi/en/), shares her insights on the challenges and opportunities of circular fashion. With over a decade of experience in sustainability, ESG, and supply chain management, Emilia explores the systemic shifts required to make fashion truly circular, from policy and innovation to consumer behaviour and industry collaboration. Emilia reflects on the paradoxes of sustainable fashion, such as the gap between consumer demand for sustainability and unwillingness to pay a premium, and the tension between global supply chains and local circular solutions. She discusses the role of second-hand markets, the need for research-based policy, and why technology and digitalization are critical but not sufficient on their own. She also highlights the determination of Finnish companies to lead the change, despite legislative ups and downs, and shares her optimism for the next generation of consumers and industry leaders. Why listen? Understand the systemic challenges of circular fashion, from supply chain complexities to economic structures. Explore the role of consumers in driving change and how individual choices can influence industry-wide transformation. Learn about the opportunities and limitations of secondhand markets, technology, and policy in advancing circularity. Discover why collaboration between industry, regulators, and consumers is essential for meaningful progress. Gain insights into the Finnish textile industry’s approach to sustainability and its potential to inspire global change. Whether you are a consumer, a professional in the fashion industry, or simply interested in the future of sustainable textiles, Emilia’s perspective offers a practical and thought-provoking look at the path toward circular fashion. Keywords: circular fashion, sustainable textiles, ESG, supply chain sustainability, secondhand clothing, consumer behavior, fashion industry, policy and innovation, Finnish textile industry, digital product passport, textile recycling, systemic change, Emilia Gädda, Circular Coffee Break Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   #80 - SPIRIT Programme and the Future of Circular Plastics

   What does it take to build a circular economy for plastics in practice? In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, Jaakko Tuomainen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaakkotuomainen/), Sustainability Manager at Borouge International and former leader of Borealis’ SPIRIT programme (https://www.spiritprogramme.com/), shares insights into one of Finland’s most ambitious initiatives to increase plastic waste recycling rates and create high-quality recyclates. Jaakko reflects on the SPIRIT programme’s journey, from its design to its implementation, and the lessons learned along the way. He discusses the importance of collaboration across industries, the role of policy in driving demand for circular products, and the technological advancements that are making circular plastics a reality. With concrete examples from trials with companies like Valio and Froneri, Jaakko highlights how the programme addressed challenges in feedstock innovation, offtake demand, and economic viability. He also explores the future of circular plastics, the remaining barriers to scaling, and why creating viable business cases is the next critical step. Why listen? Understand how the SPIRIT programme aimed to transform Finland’s plastics value chain through collaboration and innovation. Explore the balance between policy-driven change and bottom-up innovation in circular economy initiatives. Learn about the technological advancements in mechanical and chemical recycling that are enabling circular plastics. Discover concrete examples of circular principles in action, from trials with major companies to consumer-facing products. Gain insights into the economic challenges of scaling circular initiatives and the importance of creating demand for recycled materials. Whether you are a sustainability professional, a business leader, or simply interested in the future of circular economy, Jaakko’s story offers a thoughtful and practical perspective on the opportunities and challenges of building a circular plastics ecosystem. Read more on the SPIRIT Programme website (https://www.spiritprogramme.com/) or in the Final Report (https://www.spiritprogramme.com/wp-content/uploads/SPIRIT-final-report-2021-2025-public-version-2026-06-12-final.pdf). Keywords: circular economy, plastics recycling, SPIRIT programme, circular plastics, sustainability, Finland, Borealis, Borouge International, mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, feedstock innovation, offtake demand, policy and regulation, collaboration, circular business models, Jaakko Tuomainen, The Circular Coffee Break Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Who has been a guest on The Circular Coffee Break

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Natascha Zeljko
• Tuuli Hietaniemi
• Harsha Reddy
• Kristina Kölling
• Mikko Pihavaara

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

11 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

75

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact The Circular Coffee Break

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.