Before fast fashion and single use everything, we lived in a circular economy. Neighbors shared household equipment and products were built to last and be reused and repaired.  

Today's growing circular economy isn't inventing something new – it's leveraging the wisdom and habits that were second nature to the generations before us while motivating consumers to take part in the movement.

To kick off Climate Week NYC, Futerra hosted Ellen Jackowski, Mastercard’s chief sustainability officer; Andrew Savage vice president of Sustainability at Lime; Kate Sanner, CEO of Beni; and Sage Lenier, founder of Futureline, for a conversation about the tech-enabled age rise of the circular economy.

The panel, held at Solutions House, showcased how both large companies and innovative new movers are helping businesses and individuals capture value from the shift back to more circular systems. “We’ve given the public a sense of danger without a course of action,” Lenier said. “Our responsibility now is to put solutions in front of them."

The circular economy today is no longer just about recycling. It has become a digitally enabled system that decouples growth from resource consumption, and momentum has only accelerated in recent years. A recent U.S. consumer sentiment survey conducted by Mastercard showed that 37% of respondents are seeking secondhand or used items more than they have in the past. This shift is also reflected in Mastercard Economics Institute research, which found that in 2024, circular merchants accounted for 27% of all online luxury apparel spend.

As consumers lean further into secondhand shopping, more companies and merchants are stepping in to make the experience easier and more seamless. The conversation at Solutions House underscored that the most effective solutions are the ones that remove friction and make the more sustainable choice the more convenient, attractive and obvious choice as well.

Beni, for example, is a web browser extension that simplifies secondhand shopping by collating available options across different platforms. “I’m selling you style, I’m selling you affordability,” Sanner said. “Sustainability is the gift with the purchase.” Speaking about Lime, the shared bike and scooter company, Savage added, “Often it’s cheaper, faster and a heck of a lot more fun to ride a bike than take a car. There's nothing wrong with the sustainable option bringing more joy to your life as well.”

Another key to success is collaborations across sectors to help the circular economy scale. “It doesn’t work unless we partner,” Jackowski said. “Helping companies like Lime and Beni succeed helps them, helps us [Mastercard], helps consumers — and helps the planet.”

Mastercard aims to inspire, inform and enable businesses to make more environmentally conscious choices through its global network, which includes more than 150 million acceptance locations, thousands of banking partners and more than 3.4 billion cards in circulation

Mastercard Start Path recently welcomed a new group of startups into its emerging fintech program that  are all uniquely dedicated to advancing circular commerce by pioneering technologies for sustainable consumption and lifecycle management of clothing and goods. They include Save Your Wardrobe, Pentatonic, Circulae, and Circulayo

Looking towards the future, Mastercard is focused on leveraging its own payment technology and data insights to help more businesses and individuals take advantage of the cost savings and growth opportunities that the circular economy presents.

The Solutions House panel set the tone for Climate Week by highlighting both urgency and optimism. The momentum behind circular commerce shows that innovation and collaboration can deliver meaningful progress towards a more resource-efficient, prosperous and rewarding economy. Panelists emphasized that the future of circularity lies in fostering community, deploying capital strategically, creating tangible value, and scaling solutions that reach more people.

As we look ahead, it’s clear that the next wave of climate solutions will be built not just on technology, but on shared responsibility — a collective commitment to sustain the future while making the choices easier, more enjoyable, and more impactful for everyone.