The bioeconomy is a hot topic these days, right up at the top of policy agendas. It involves using renewable natural resources as a raw material. The circular bioeconomy introduces circularity into this concept: using what would otherwise be thrown away, using spent biological resources to regenerate ecosystems and minimising waste.

The ECESP website has a good selection of circular bioeconomy-themed content. This series will shine a spotlight on it.

Circular bioeconomy concept: a marketplace selling bio-based and circular materials

MaterialDistrict is a marketplace for innovative materials, which connects up material manufacturers and distributors with creative professionals and provides designers with information about materials.

If you're looking for a new and interesting type of material, this is the place to go. Tiles made from flaxseed and wood dust, orange peel or coffee waste, mycelium acoustic panels, plant-based polyester and boards made from hemp and cereal byproducts - there's a huge range. There are also plenty of articles on innovations in the material industry, such as how invasive brown algae can be turned into valuable biobased materials.

It's easy to navigate, too: there are listings for each material, with tags such as "biobased" or "recycling".