Ecological Design Thinking for a Circular Economy: the impact of the forest metaphor for circular business

This paper presents an evaluation of the educational tool Ecological Design Thinking for a Circular Economy,which uses the metaphor of a forest to support new ways of thinking about circular business models. The studyresponds to concerns that circular economy (CE) discourse continues to be shaped by mechanistic and linearmetaphors, which may limit how change is understood and implemented in practice.The forest metaphor emphasises interconnection, non-linearity, and ongoing transformation. The tool wasdesigned as an origami-style pamphlet with structured prompts to guide participants in relating forest dynamicsto circular economy principles. An exploratory comparative case study was conducted to assess the tool’simpact. One workshop in 2023 engaged participants with the forest metaphor without the tool, while a secondworkshop in 2025 used the tool to support the same process. In both cases, pre- and post-programme surveyswere used to explore conceptual change and perceived value.The results show that the tool supported participants in generating more concrete insights and applyingecological ideas to circular economy contexts. It also brought attention to the contrast between some ecologicalprinciples and the realities of existing businesses and organisations.This study contributes to circular economy education by showing how metaphor-based tools can supportconceptual development. It indicates that working with ecological metaphors can help participants questiondominant assumptions and consider alternative models for circular practice.