Belgium (Flanders)

OVAM (Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffen Maatschappij) is the Public Waste Agency of Flanders.

Circular Flanders is the hub and the inspiration for the Flemish circular economy. It is a partnership of governments, companies, civilsociety, and the knowledge community that will take action together. Working together with the different actors in the circular valuechain, supporting them in innovation. It is important for this project and embedded in the DNA of Circular Flanders. Circular Flanderscombines a network governance approach with in-depth thematic policy support and specific levers to foster Circular economy.

Specifically on circular furniture, Circular Flanders has built specific expertise on public procurement in the Interreg North-Sea projectProCirc and in the Flemish Green Deal on circular procurement. Also on ecodesign and circular business models Circular Flanders hasgained expertise by supporting experiments in the field linked to the office furniture sector.

WOOD.BE is the most important knowledge centre for the wood & furniture industry in Belgium. Based in Brussels, WOOD.BE coverssupport for all Belgium Regions, including Flanders, situated in the NSR. WOOD.BE supports companies within the whole value chain

KWA (De Kringwinkel Antwerpen VZW) has experience in reuse of goods of all kinds. They empty offices on a regular basis and try to put the recuperated goods as much as possible in reuse. By sales on the spot, by sales through one of their 14 shops or by collaborating with designers and socialenterprises for upcycling.

ONBETAALBAAR is both a workshop and a think tank, a place where designers, furniture makers, upholsterers, artists, product designers, restorers, interior architects etc. find each other in a “materialism with emotion”. They start from the customer's request and work exclusively on a tailor-made base. They devise solutions for small objects, but they are also responsible for the design and implementation of large spatial projects based on reuse, circular materials and sustainable raw materials.

ONBETAALBAAR invites people to think about what they throw away, to reflect on the story and identity of a material or object, to feel how common spaces can look different, to be confronted with the real costs of a well-made object and brainstorm about how we can make things and places better, 'cleaner' more 'circular' in a human way. They unite ecology, economy, innovation, philosophy, design and love for materials and creates links between finders, thinkers, makers, materials, designers and buyers.