What is R³CIRCLE

What are the three circular R‑strategies in R³CIRCLE?

The three core strategies are: Refusing fast fashion, Rethinking synthetic sportswear, and Reusing existing garments.

Who funds R³CIRCLE?

R³CIRCLE is funded by NWO through the ​‘KIC Consumer Behaviour for a Circular System Transition’ programme, with a total budget of €2,266,659. Various companies, such as Nike, Studio Anneloes, and Wehkamp, provide additional co-funding on top of this.

How long does the R³CIRCLE project run?

The full programme runs for 72 months (6 years). The Living Lab phase, in which consumers actively participate in behavioural interventions, covers a sub-period of this programme.

Which universities and knowledge institutions are involved in R³CIRCLE?

The project is carried out by a consortium of Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences. COSH! participates as a societal co-applicant and contributes technology and platform expertise.

Mumster, COSH! and Fibershed NL are the communications and education arm of R³CIRCLE in the final work package. Mumster is a creative PR agency embedded in the Dutch sustainable fashion ecosystem, delivering professional communication campaigns that broadly disseminate the project results. Fibershed NL promotes locally anchored textile systems and, through its Toekomst Textiel Hub, Circular Textile Academy, and school programmes (Goed Gekleed, Meer met Minder), handles the educational dissemination of research results to secondary education, vocational training, and the general public.

Which government partners are supporting R³CIRCLE?

Government partners form the policy backbone of R³CIRCLE. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management provides methodological input for monitoring behaviour and environmental impact at macro level, and represents the national Policy Programme Circular Textiles 2025 – 2030. The municipalities of Rotterdam, Enschede and Amsterdam are both active as co-funders with senior policy advisors on circular textiles, who co-develop interventions and connect them to local implementation and municipal procurement policy — they are crucial for scaling Living Lab results to other cities.

What is the role of the COSH! Digital Wardrobe in the research?

The COSH! Digital Wardrobe is deployed as an experience-sampling tool across all three Living Labs. The platform enables researchers to measure and monitor consumer behaviour around clothing, purchase, use, and disposal in real time.

What is the role of the co-applicants?

COSH! provides the digital ESM infrastructure for the entire programme and is the only partner active in all work packages. 

Circle Economy translates behaviour into measurable environmental impact. 

True Price makes hidden costs visible as a direct intervention instrument. 

Together, they make R³CIRCLE more than just behavioural research.

The sports sector forms the beating heart of Living Lab 3: Rethink Synthetic Sportswear.

With more than 5 million organised athletes — united under NOC*NSF — and the predominantly synthetic nature of team clothing and sports outfits, this segment is crucial to the environmental impact of textiles in the Netherlands.

KNVB and KNHB bring their networks of thousands of amateur clubs and test interventions around team clothing, secondhand sportswear, and circular procurement through the Groene Club programme and hockey clubs, respectively.

NOC*NSF and POS represent the overarching governance of the sports sector and are essential for scaling beyond the pilots.

Wilkin Sport, Heus Sport, and Robey contribute retail perspective and supply chain knowledge, demonstrating what is needed to make more sustainable alternatives mainstream at club level.

CIRCULR proves that reuse models already work in practice: CIRCULR collects at 160+ clubs, redistributes clothing to vulnerable groups.

Rotterdam Sportsupport supports 350+ clubs with a focus on youth and vulnerable groups, and is indispensable for both co-design and scaling within the city.

Pro2Foundation contributes expertise in social justice and behavioural campaigns, ensuring sustainable sportswear remains accessible to all income groups.

Rabobank provides cash funding (€75,000) and, through its ClubSupport network, brings direct access to thousands of sports clubs, as well as circular financing expertise through its Circular Business Desk.

Nike closes the loop on the industry side: its international production and sustainability expertise is indispensable for understanding the systemic changes needed on the supply side.