With more circular initiatives surfacing – from small start-ups to corporate strategies – not everybody is on the same page about what a circular economy entails. As global debates in academic, business and consumer circles heat up, will a zero-waste lifestyle move from a fringe movement to the mainstream?

Three-quarters of women see second-hand clothing as being identical in quality to new garments – and some even consider it to be more valuable. Sustainable fashion brand Ace & Jig is tapping into this sentiment through timeless design, free repairs and fan-centric swap parties.

Dinner is in an hour and a key ingredient is missing, so you pop to the closest shop only to find that it doesn’t have your usual brand. When shoppers need something instantly and their first choice isn’t available, what informs their selection? How do companies compete to be the second best choice?

Anyone can buy an expensive new jacket or tea set from a luxury boutique (given enough funds in their bank account), but only a discerning shopper can pluck a gem from a charity shop. Canvas8 spoke to Shelly Steward to understand how thrift stores can provide people with valuable cultural capital.

By adopting a digitally driven, direct-to-consumer model, shipping goods straight from factories and eliminating ‘brand tax’, the Brandless site is a store where all products cost $3 or less. But will the service offer enough of an incentive to tempt people away from their local supermarket?

While algorithms are designed to show users exactly what they want, too much personalisation can be stifling. By cracking the ‘echo chamber’ and combating boredom with positive surprises, how are brands injecting a much-needed dose of the unexpected into people’s everyday experiences?

Shopping for fashion over the internet may be highly convenient, but the ability to judge how something fits continues to be a challenge. MySizeID allows people to accurately measure themselves using their mobile phones to ensure that they buy the correctly sized clothes every time.

Online sales account for just 17% of spending on denim in the US – no surprise given that finding the perfect fitting jeans can require multiple store visits. Levi’s aims to change that with its Virtual Stylist, a chatbot that learns a user’s ideal style and fit before making recommendations.