The 10th anniversary of the International C2C Congress

The 10th International Cradle to Cradle Congress in Berlin brought together the Cradle to Cradle community for two inspiring days of exchange, celebration and forward-looking dialogue on the future of circular transformation.

With voices from business, science, politics and civil society, the Congress offered a powerful reminder that moving towards a truly circular economy requires not only better product design, but also trusted collaboration, credible data, supportive regulation and bold storytelling." Several conversations reinforced something we're seeing across industries: as regulations evolve and AI increasingly shapes purchasing decisions, companies need verified data that enables trusted, credible claims and helps circular products stand out in the market.

C2C Certified for the Algorithm: Will Data Bring Circularity Finally into the Mainstream?

During his keynote on “C2C Certified for the Algorithm: Will Data Bring Circularity Finally into the Mainstream?”, our Executive Director, Elwyn Grainger-Jones, explored how AI, digital product passports, and verified sustainability data are transforming both product discovery and the role of certification programs such as Cradle to Cradle Certified®.

Elwyn shared four key messages during his speech:

The bridge between intent and action on sustainable shopping is a huge missed opportunity - and market failure.

Data, digitization, and trustworthy information can close that gap.

AI is about to accelerate this shift as shoppers, search algorithms and B2B buyers are moving towards it.

These developments transform the role of certification programs such as Cradle to Cradle Certified®. Verification integrity stays as the foundation of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program. Digitization simply extends its reach, so trusted product data can flow to shoppers, buyers and AI at the moment of choice.

When Design Meets Data: Will Data Bring C2C Certified® into the Mainstream?”

This theme continued in the interactive breakout session “When Design Meets Data: Will Data Bring C2C Certified® into the Mainstream?” Moderated by Elwyn, the panel brought together perspectives from Cora Gehrmann (bonprix), Rolf Verspuij (Ahrend), and Jan von der Lancken (EPEA Germany), to discuss how data, design, and certification work together to create trust and scale circularity.

Key insights from the panel:

Circularity succeeds when products, people, supply chains, and data are connected.

As Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and the EmpCo Directive reshape the market, transparent, third-party verified product data is becoming a critical asset for building trust, substantiating sustainability claims, and increasing visibility across AI-powered purchasing tools, retailer platforms, recognition schemes, and product databases.

C2C Fashion Show

The Congress also made circularity tangible through the C2C Fashion Show, which brought Cradle to Cradle Certified® and C2C-inspired fashion to life. Featuring garments and products from bonprix, Roccamore, MELAWEAR, Socklab and Pacific Jeans, the fashion show demonstrated what circular design can look like in practice. The story behind each product was directly connected to the design choices, material considerations and data needed to communicate circularity credibly and accessibly.

From Voluntary Certification to Legal Mandate: How Standards and Regulation Drive C2C in Textiles.

Our Director Consumer Products & Textiles, Nienke Steen joined the breakout session on “From Voluntary Certification to Legal Mandate: How Standards and Regulation Drive C2C in Textiles.” Together with Hein van Tuijl (EPEA Benelux), Julia Schneider (German parliament/Die Grünen), and Olaf Deutschbein (UNIDO), the session explored how voluntary standards, certification and evolving legislation can reinforce one another to accelerate circularity across the textile industry.

The discussion touched on key developments such as ESPR, digital product passports, the Empowering Consumers Directive, EPR and eco-modulation, and the growing need for companies to substantiate sustainability claims with reliable, verified information. Nienke highlighted the role of Cradle to Cradle Certified® as a practical and trusted framework that helps companies prepare for this changing regulatory landscape with third-party verified product data – while keeping the focus on material health, circular systems and continuous improvement. In addition, achieving a circular economy requires harmonized legislation, stronger collaboration across supply chains and certification schemes, and a holistic approach that includes social fairness.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the C2C Congress showed how the Cradle to Cradle movement is entering an important new phase: circular design remains at the heart of the work, but the ability to prove, share and scale impact through trusted data, credible certification and aligned policy frameworks is becoming just as important. From Elwyn’s plenary talk and data panel to the fashion show and textile legislation breakout, the Institute’s presence helped connect vision with implementation – and showed how Cradle to Cradle Certified® can support companies, policymakers and markets in making circularity visible, credible and actionable. A big thank you to Nora Sophie Griefahn & Tim Janßen for organizing this great and inspiring 10th edition of the International C2C Congress!