Creative Circular Cities: Innovations in Cirular Economy

The Tallinn Strategy Lab included visits to local initiatives advancing circular economy goals, such as Tallinn Design House, which is part of the Tallinn Business Incubator. During the visit to Tallinn Design House, guests were welcomed by Tallinn Business Incubator’s CEO Anu Lõhmus, Tallinn Deputy Mayor Margot Roose and designer Stella Runnel from Stella Soomlais brand.

CEO Anu Lõhmus welcomed participants, noting: “Tallinn Design House is a joint marketing and export platform for young Estonian designers and advanced Estonian designer brands. We have about 130 brands here, along with some guest participants from Latvia and Ukraine. We started the project in 2012 in Veerenni and opened this location in 2017. Our idea was to create an elegant and modern space for Estonian designer brands to support their marketing, sales, and image.”

Lõhmus added that the platform is now much more than a showcase: “We participate in various projects and attend international fairs to present our work and educate ourselves. We also host seminars, mentoring sessions, and are active on social media and traditional media to ensure the sustainability of these brands. A new initiative focuses on circular economy principles, including a pre-loved section and participation in international projects such as B2H and CCC.”

Tallinn Deputy Mayor Margot Roose emphasized the role of creativity in advancing the circular economy: “Circularity is often seen as part of waste management, but the real impact lies in addressing issues at the design phase or earlier, not at the waste stage. Creativity is crucial here, and I believe this project tackles the core reasons why cities struggle to become truly circular.”

Roose shared Tallinn’s initiatives, including a forthcoming circular economy strategy, public procurement shifts toward circular choices, and the opening of two circular economy centers to serve as community hubs. Programs like “Test in Tallinn” enable innovators to test solutions in urban environments, and a volunteer platform connects citizens with tasks, potentially including circularity-related activities.

Stella Runnel, founder of the Stella Soomlais brand and professor at the Estonian Academy of Arts, shared her decade-long experience in circular design. Since starting her leather accessory brand in 2011, she has focused on designing to avoid waste by selecting durable materials and maximizing product lifespans.

“My goal is reuse without recycling – keeping all materials in circulation within my brand,” she explained. Runnel’s designs are minimalist and functional, with modular components like screw-fastened pockets for easier repairs. Customers can return used items for credit, which are then resold or repurposed, giving materials multiple life cycles. “One backpack is already in its third life cycle,” she noted.

Runnel also offers rental services, workshops using leftover materials, and traceable product data to ensure transparency. “Keeping data is essential in circular design. Each bag has information on when, where, and by whom it was made, along with a unique number. This helps trace potential issues with materials and ensures transparency for customers.”

Despite achieving a studio waste rate of just 2–4%, compared to the industry average of 20–25%, she acknowledged recycling challenges but remains committed to exploring how design can maximize material value. “Ultimately, I’m most intrigued by how design can add value to materials.”

“Creative Circular Cities” is co-funded by the EU’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme to promote circular transition at local level by involving the culture & creative sectors and industries. CCC initiates a transnational co-creation process, in which 6 demo cities – Aarhus (DK), Kiel (DE), Gdynia (PL), Riga (LV), Tallinn (EE), and Turku (FI) – will jointly develop and test CCSI-driven approaches for an integrated circular transition.