1. Public Procurement of work wear: Circular tender-development involving Vraa Dampvaskeri and Hjørring Municipality. A circular tender for work wear in municipal health care was made in a co-creation between procurement and service provider.
2. Upholstered furniture for offices and public facilities: Collaborative development for a truly circular purchase process for upholstered office furniture by the value chain - the fabric producer Gabriel, furniture provider Holmris B8, and service and maintenance provider Carpet Care, resulted in a guide as opposed to a product. The step-by-step guide is to be used when a customer wants new furniture. The salesperson or service provider guides the user through the needed consideration. Can the need be met by doing anything other than purchasing new furniture? This result came from the value chain working together on the challenge – inviting each other into the sensitive process of tackling the challenges of business development for the circular future together.
3. Municipal Textile Strategy 2035: The environmental and procurement- departments from Hjørring Municipality co-created a municipal textile strategy for circularity in 2035. Political and managerial mandate is needed to set ambitious circularity and sustainability goals, make them measurable, binding, and set aside ressources for implementation. The common bottom-up strategy input developed here is a qualified point of departure informed by research, to be discussed politically and drive the process that will secure the internal backing needed for reaching municipal climate goals and national circularity ambitions.

A Facilitation Guide for the co-creation for circular solutions was developed by academic partners in collaboration with international partners, and colleagues from other research groups in AAU, and tested with professionals. It is currently being prepared for academic publishing.

Local authorities in Denmark hold a unique opportunity to accelerate the circular transition – not least through their procurement practices. A new publication from Aalborg University and the CircularTex project, under TRACE and the Innovation Fund Denmark, presents a set of practical recommendations for circular public procurement of light workwear.

The recommendations are based on academic research, practical case studies, and dialogue with public procurement officers and market players. They are aimed at three key stakeholder groups within local government:

• Municipal policymakers – who must define clear visions and strategies, providing political backing for circular procurement.

• Municipal leadership – who must allocate resources, remove barriers, and encourage cross-departmental collaboration.

• Public procurement professionals – who must focus on functional requirements, market dialogue, and new tendering models that support circularity.

A core element is the use of a procurement hierarchy, helping local authorities prioritise solutions that reduce consumption and extend product lifespans, rather than focusing solely on recycling.

With over DKK 400 billion spent annually on public procurement in Denmark, the public sector has both the potential and responsibility to steer the market in a more sustainable direction.

The companies of the CircularTex project – all in the B2B value chain on upholstered furniture for the workplace - have developed a new circular purchasing guide with a focus on the circular economy.

A close collaboration between AAU and Gabriel, Holmris B8 and CarpetCare is behind it.

The principles and approach can inspire other industries than furniture or textiles.

The central questions, that are considered, are:

• How can we help customers make more sustainable choices?
• What should you as a buyer, facility manager, or other type of decision maker consider when faced with a need, if you want to support and develop the circular economy?
• What does this mean in relation to future business models on the production side, in design, and within the cleaning/repair/maintenance industry?

CarpetCare, which has been with us all the way, says about the process:

"Output and process have been enriching in all contexts and perspectives. We ourselves have become wiser about the manufacturer and dealership aspects, just as it has been beneficial to participate in a holistic project which has considered the systemic terms, but also focused on the guide being concrete and operational for users. "

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