What did you miss in 2025?

We launched Circular.ie in the second half of the year - designed to make circular easier to understand and take action on - and, even in just a few short months, we’ve already seen some really positive progress, affecting individuals, communities and industry.

Take fashion, for example. Fast fashion produces billions of items of clothing every year, and in Ireland alone, one-in-five people buy clothes at least once a month (despite many garments being worn fewer than 10 times). In the Autumn, Change Clothes moved into a larger space in Dublin to help grow their fashion swaps, repair and scrapstore services, responding to growing interest in clothing reuse. "We’re so excited to take this next step and grow with you," said the team.

Clothing came into focus again in Clonmel soon after, where Circular Square opened its new space. There, you can find a dedicated repair workshop (where they host their monthly repair cafes), a Toy Library and a sewing room, all under one roof. Check out some of Circular Square’s events (and those of other groups around the country) on our events page. 

Of course, circularity goes far beyond just clothing. In Dublin, Habitat for Humanity recently opened a new ReStore in Glasnevin, where you can pick up donated new and used building supplies and home improvement materials.

Towards the end of the year we also saw a couple of exciting new initiatives take shape. We attended the launch of IRD Duhallow’s Circular Cups for Community Events project, which will make reusable cups available at community events. 

The event, officiated by Minister of State for the Circular Economy, Alan Dillon TD, was full of optimism, and rightly so. What Southern Region Waste Planning Office and its partners (IRD Duhallow and local authorities across the Southern Waste Region) have launched will help to significantly reduce single-use plastics at community events.

We also saw businesses celebrated for developing new circular services. For example, Mary O´Riordan and Lisa O´Riordan (from HaPPE Earth) won the All-Island Circular Venture Awards for their efforts to reduce plastic healthcare waste from hospitals. 

Other shortlisted businesses developed packaging from farm waste, and public benches and bridges from old wind turbine blades (have you spotted one yet?). 

We’re excited to see what 2026 will hold! Keep an eye out on circular.ie for ways to make your life more sustainable, more rewarding and more circular.