The Circular Laboratory is a platform that deals with the topics of the circular economy and sustainability in a scientific context, specialising in textiles, plastics, and materials. Unlike most websites or blogs that deal with sustainability, The Circular Laboratory does not belong to the lifestyle category. Instead, it shines a light on complex topics that people have so many opinions about and unravels them on a factual level. This website is for people that want to educate themselves and who are interested in science and the big picture.
The Authors
Paula Lorenz is the founder and scientific communicator behind The Circular Laboratory. She is a graduate of Royal Holloway, University of London (MA) and RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (BA). Although having a background in media and marketing, she is also a scientifically published author in the area of corporate social responsibility and has dedicated herself to sustainability science communication.
The idea behind making the science behind sustainability accessible started back in 2017 when Paula made a film about the scientific research into chemical textile recycling. The reception to the film has been outstanding and this project illustrated how much genuine interest there is for information on sustainability and circular economy in a scientific context. Paula now works as an Associate Consultant in sustainability consulting.
Dr. Ashley Holding is the co-founder of The Circular Laboratory that brings an outstanding scientific expertise and track record in chemistry and sustainability. He is a graduate of the University of Helsinki (PhD) and the University of York (MChem). Researching the extraction of biopolymers as a PhD student, he subsequently worked with pioneering company Worn Again Technologies to develop a circular recycling solution for used textiles, and at the sustainability hub Fashion for Good.
He now works as an independent consultant with the industry to advise on, and evaluate sustainable and circular technologies. Ashley is a passionate and leading advocate of the circular economy and as an expert has been published in many scientific journals and popular publications on the topics of plastics, polymers and textile recycling.
The Lab Dog
Mia is the lab dog at The Circular Laboratory. She is a three-quarter-Collie and one-quarter-Chow-Chow mix that is always happy to receive some cuddles. She lives a very sustainable life without using plastics and utilising the same plates every day. She enjoys watching birds all day, digging for mice and playing with her large circle of friends.