The circular economy represents a fundamental shift away from the traditional linear "take-make-dispose" economic model toward one that is regenerative by design. In Denmark, where sustainability is deeply ingrained in both culture and business practices, companies of all sizes are embracing circular principles with remarkable results. This article highlights several Danish businesses that have successfully implemented circular economy models, creating environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Carlsberg: Beyond the Green Bottle
The Danish brewing giant Carlsberg has made significant strides in implementing circular economy principles throughout its operations. Through its "Together Towards ZERO" sustainability program, the company has pioneered several circular innovations that are transforming the beverage industry.
Carlsberg's "Snap Pack" technology replaces traditional plastic six-pack rings with a sustainable glue, reducing plastic waste by up to 76%. The company has also developed the "Green Fiber Bottle," a fully biodegradable beer bottle made from sustainably sourced wood fibers, which has the potential to eliminate the need for glass or plastic bottles entirely.
In addition to packaging innovations, Carlsberg has implemented circular principles in its production processes. The company now recycles 98% of its production waste, with spent grains from the brewing process repurposed as animal feed or converted into biogas. Water usage has been reduced by 21% since 2015, and Carlsberg has established water recycling systems at breweries in areas of high water stress.
The economic impact of these circular initiatives has been significant. Carlsberg reports cost savings of approximately €5 million annually through resource efficiency measures, while also strengthening its brand reputation as an environmentally responsible company. The success of Carlsberg's circular approach demonstrates how large established companies can transform their business models to achieve both sustainability and profitability.
Gamle Mursten: Giving Old Bricks New Life
Gamle Mursten (Old Bricks) represents a perfect example of a circular business model built around the concept of material recovery and reuse. Founded by Claus Juul Nielsen in 2003, the company collects and cleans old bricks from demolition sites, preparing them for reuse in new construction projects.
The process is elegantly simple yet impactful: demolition waste that would typically end up in landfills is instead sorted to retrieve intact bricks. These bricks are then cleaned using a patented vibration technology that removes mortar without chemicals or water, preserving the unique patina and character of each brick. The cleaned bricks are then sold to architects, builders, and homeowners for new construction projects.
The environmental benefits are substantial. Each reused brick saves 0.5 kg of CO2 emissions compared to producing a new one. With Gamle Mursten cleaning and recirculating over 2 million bricks annually, the company saves approximately 1,000 tons of CO2 per year. Furthermore, the business model preserves the cultural and historical value embodied in these materials, many of which come from buildings of historical significance.
Economically, Gamle Mursten has created a viable business by recognizing value in what was previously considered waste. The company has expanded to three facilities across Denmark and has begun exploring international markets. Importantly, their success has influenced Danish building regulations, which now incentivize the use of reclaimed materials in new construction.
Vigga: Circular Fashion for Growing Children
The fashion industry is notorious for its environmental impact, with fast fashion contributing significantly to resource depletion, pollution, and waste. Danish company Vigga has tackled this problem with an innovative subscription-based circular business model focused on children's clothing.
Founded by Vigga Svensson in 2014, the company offers a subscription service that provides parents with high-quality, organic children's clothing in the exact size needed. When the child outgrows the clothes, parents return them to Vigga, receiving the next size in exchange. The returned clothing is professionally cleaned and inspected before being sent to another subscribing family.
This model extends the useful life of each garment significantly. While the average children's clothing item is typically worn only 7-8 times before being discarded, Vigga ensures that each piece is used by multiple children, with garments designed to withstand up to 7 lifecycle rotations before being recycled into new textile products.
The environmental impact is impressive: each Vigga subscription reduces waste by approximately 70-80% compared to conventional consumption patterns. The model also reduces water usage and chemical pollution associated with textile production, as fewer garments need to be manufactured overall.
From a business perspective, Vigga has successfully demonstrated the commercial viability of the clothing-as-a-service concept. The subscription model provides predictable recurring revenue and stronger customer relationships compared to traditional retail. Vigga's success has inspired similar circular fashion initiatives across Europe, showing how innovative business models can transform resource-intensive sectors.
Too Good To Go: Fighting Food Waste Through Digital Innovation
Food waste represents an enormous environmental and economic challenge, with roughly one-third of all food produced globally being wasted. Danish startup Too Good To Go has created a circular solution to this problem through a digital marketplace that connects consumers with restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores that have surplus food.
Through the Too Good To Go app, businesses can sell surplus food at reduced prices in the form of "surprise bags" that consumers can reserve and collect at the end of the business day. This simple but effective model prevents perfectly edible food from being thrown away while providing consumers with quality food at discounted prices.
Since its founding in Copenhagen in 2016, Too Good To Go has expanded to 17 countries across Europe and North America, partnering with over 120,000 food businesses and saving more than 110 million meals from being wasted. The environmental impact is substantial, as each meal saved prevents approximately 2.5 kg of CO2 emissions associated with food production and disposal.
Beyond the direct impact of food waste reduction, Too Good To Go works to raise awareness of the food waste issue through educational initiatives and advocacy for policy changes. The company has championed date label standardization across Europe to reduce confusion about food safety and edibility.
As a business, Too Good To Go exemplifies how digital platforms can enable circular economy solutions by efficiently connecting supply and demand. The company has attracted significant investment, demonstrating the economic potential of circular business models in the food sector.
Ørsted: From Black to Green Energy
While not typically categorized as a circular economy company, Danish energy company Ørsted has undertaken one of the most remarkable green transitions in business history, moving from one of Denmark's most carbon-intensive companies to a global leader in renewable energy.
Formerly known as DONG Energy (Danish Oil and Natural Gas), the company has divested its fossil fuel assets and invested heavily in offshore wind power. Ørsted now accounts for approximately 30% of the global offshore wind market and aims to be carbon-neutral in energy generation and operations by 2025.
Ørsted's circular economy initiatives include the reuse and recycling of materials in wind turbine construction and maintenance. The company is pioneering approaches to turbine blade recycling—one of the most challenging aspects of wind energy sustainability—and is implementing design-for-disassembly principles in new installations.
The company is also exploring innovative ways to create circular energy systems, such as using excess wind power for green hydrogen production and integrating battery storage to balance supply and demand. These approaches maximize the value of renewable energy by storing it in different forms rather than curtailing production when supply exceeds immediate demand.
Ørsted's transformation demonstrates that even companies deeply embedded in linear, extractive industries can successfully pivot to more sustainable business models. The company's market value has more than doubled since 2016, proving that green transformation can create substantial shareholder value.
Lessons for Circular Economy Implementation
These Danish success stories offer valuable insights for businesses considering circular economy implementation:
1. Innovation in design is crucial: Whether it's Carlsberg's sustainable packaging, Gamle Mursten's cleaning technology, or Vigga's durable, size-flexible clothing, product design that enables reuse, refurbishment, or recycling is fundamental to circular business models.
2. Digital technology enables circularity: Too Good To Go demonstrates how digital platforms can create efficient marketplaces for underutilized assets or surplus resources, a principle applicable across many sectors.
3. Alternative business models create value: Subscription services (Vigga), waste-to-resource approaches (Gamle Mursten), and product-service systems all represent viable alternatives to traditional sales models that can reduce resource consumption while maintaining profitability.
4. Collaboration is essential: All these companies work closely with suppliers, customers, and often competitors to create the infrastructure and systems needed for circular approaches to succeed.
5. Consumer education supports adoption: Companies like Too Good To Go and Vigga invest significantly in educating consumers about the environmental impact of their choices and the benefits of circular alternatives.
Conclusion: Denmark's Circular Future
Denmark's commitment to sustainability, combined with its strong tradition of design innovation and pragmatic business approaches, has created fertile ground for circular economy initiatives. From startups to multinational corporations, Danish businesses are demonstrating that circular principles can be successfully implemented across diverse sectors with positive environmental, social, and economic outcomes.
As the world grapples with resource constraints, pollution, and climate change, these Danish success stories provide inspiring and practical examples of how business can be a force for environmental regeneration rather than degradation. The circular transformation of these companies offers a glimpse of a more sustainable economic future—one where prosperity does not depend on endless resource extraction but rather on creativity, efficiency, and stewardship.