From a brand's point of view, how should extended producer responsibility (EPR) be designed so that circularity pays off?
Philipp Bonaventura from Schöffel explains where circular design already works, why the economics hold it back, and what the system needs to change.
What you'll hear in this episode: • Why the barrier is economic, not technical: low collection volumes, weak sorting, and repair that doesn't cover its cost • How designing for repair differs from designing for recycling, and why material choice decides what can be recovered • Which fees reward durable, repairable products, and why harmonised rules across Europe matter
The episode also covers what counts as a circular product, and why quality comes before recycled content.
This is the second episode of the Textile EPR series.
People Philipp Bonaventura, CR Manager Strategy & Environment at Schöffel https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-bonaventura-21409013a/
Patrick Hypscher, Circular Business Strategist, PaaS Expert https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/
Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:20 The oldest product: a 90s ski jacket 00:03:18 Schöffel's business model 00:05:12 Repairing 5,000 products a year 00:06:42 A vision for textiles in 2040 00:08:31 Designing for repair and recycling 00:11:07 What makes a product circular 00:13:07 Where the economics hold circularity back 00:15:02 How EPR should reward circularity 00:17:36 Outro
About Schöffel is a family-owned German outdoor and ski apparel manufacturer based in Schwabmünchen, Bavaria. Founded in 1804, Schöffel is one of the oldest outdoor brand in the world. It sells outdoor, ski, workwear and technical apparel across three business units, Schöffel Sport, Schöffel Pro and Schöffel Tech, and runs its own repair service factory. The company builds eco-design and circularity into product development, with a focus on product durability, repairability, and design for recycling.
Further Links https://www.schoeffel.com/de/en/
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