Chapter 1 — full chapter
1.2 The butterfly diagram for Fashion
The butterfly diagram, popularized by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is a visual framework that illustrates how a circular economy keeps materials and products in continuous use.
The diagram gets its name from its two distinct "wings," which separate material flows into two main loops:
The Biological Cycle (left wing): applies to suitable renewable materials that have been designed and processed so they can safely return to biological systems at the end of their useful life [1, 2].
The Technical Cycle (right wing): keeps textile products, components and materials in circulation through strategies such as reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling.
The model emphasizes that inner loops (such as direct reuse or repair) preserve more value and energy than outer loops like recycling. It also highlights that the two cycles must remain separate to prevent contamination and waste.
Figure 1.3. Fashion’s Butterfly Diagram. Credit: FashionKIC, Fashion’s Butterfly Diagram, 2026, adapted from Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017
Resource Insight: Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation, Circular Economy Systems Diagram, 2019. Drawing based on Baungard & McDonough, Cradle 2 Cradle (C2C) https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy-diagram