Our economy still largely operates according to a linear logic.
We extract, we produce, we consume… and then we discard.
This model implicitly rests on two assumptions.
The first: that resources are available in unlimited quantities.
The second: that the environment has an infinite capacity to absorb our waste.
Yet both of these assumptions are beginning to crack.
Limits that are already becoming visible
Upstream, tensions around resources are becoming tangible.
Copper is a good example. Essential to electrification (vehicles, grids, renewable energy), it is now under pressure. Demand is rising quickly, while opening new mines is long, complex, and often contested.
This gap between supply and demand creates a structural strain. It reminds us of a simple truth: we live in a finite world.
Downstream, climate change illustrates the other limitation of the model.
The accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere shows that our environment is not a bottomless sink. There is a threshold beyond which impacts become systemic: extreme weather events, economic disruptions, pressure on infrastructure.
In other words, we are facing a dual constraint : limited resources and limited absorption capacity.
A reality confirmed by data
The latest Quebec Circularity Index Report provides concrete evidence of this reality.
With an index of 2.5%, it means that only a very small proportion of materials used in Quebec is reintroduced into the economic cycle.
The trend is global: worldwide circularity declined from 9.1% in 2018 to 6.9% in 2025.
These figures reflect the fact that our economy remains overwhelmingly linear, despite initial efforts.
Why circularity struggles to take hold
If the benefits seem obvious, why is the transition so slow?
First, because our economic system is deeply structured around abundance. Virgin materials are often cheaper than recycled or reused alternatives.
Second, in most organizations, waste-related costs are underestimated. Typically, only visible costs (containers, disposal) are considered, representing roughly 10% of the real cost. The rest (lost materials, energy, labor, equipment) remains largely invisible, yet very real.
Finally, because circularity requires systemic transformation:
• rethinking supply chains,
• fostering collaboration between stakeholders,
• integrating new business logics.
It is somewhat like moving from a one-way highway to a network of interconnected streets: more complex to organize, but far more resilient.
There is also a knowledge gap. Many organizations simply do not know where to start.
Yet the benefits are very real
When properly implemented, circularity makes it possible to:
• reduce costs (materials, energy, waste management),
• generate new revenue streams (resale, recovery, new business models),
• reduce GHG emissions,
• strengthen resilience to supply shocks.
A useful analogy can be drawn from living systems.
In a natural ecosystem, nothing is wasted: the by-products of some become the resources of others. This circular functioning optimizes the use of energy and materials while ensuring system stability.
By contrast, our linear economy resembles an organism that consumes without recycling — a model that, in nature, simply cannot last.
The textile sector: concrete levers
As part of a mandate carried out by CCG in the textile sector, this reality became very clear.
Several decarbonization levers were directly linked to circularity:
• reducing material losses,
• valorizing residues,
• integrating recycled or bio-based content into raw materials,
• extending product lifespan,
• developing models based on repair or resale.
In many cases, these actions both reduced carbon footprint and improved economic performance.
Taking action: from intention to implementation
The main challenge is not recognizing the importance of circularity, but translating it into concrete actions.
Where should you start? Which levers should you prioritize? Which investments are relevant?
This is precisely the role of a circular economy diagnostic.
Concrete tools exist to support organizations in this process. In Montreal, for example, the city currently offers a grant of up to $15,000.
This diagnostic helps to:
• analyze current practices,
• identify and prioritize relevant strategies,
• propose concrete solutions,
• build a detailed action plan,
• quantify economic and environmental benefits.
Across Quebec, organizations can also receive support through the Mouvement circulaire program led by Esplanade Québec.
At CCG, we carry out these mandates by combining strategic vision with rigorous analysis, turning this process into a true decision-support tool useful well beyond the final report.
An opportunity to rethink our model
This type of funding reduces a major barrier: the cost of entry.
But the challenge goes much further.
In a context of growing constraints on resources and climate, organizations that succeed in closing their material loops will be better positioned to secure supply, control costs, and meet market expectations.
The circular economy thus becomes a concrete response to a fundamental imbalance between our economic system and planetary limits.
As in living systems, long-term viability depends on the ability to reuse, transform, and optimize what already exists.
One question remains:
Are we ready to evolve our models quickly enough to stay within the limits of the system we depend on?