Circular economy and eco-innovation in Italian industrial clusters. Best practices from Prato textile cluster

Abstract

The transition of Italian industrial clusters towards more circular and sustainable models of production could lead to substantial environmental, economic and societal benefits. The aim of this paper is to analyse which specific types of eco-innovations could lead to the implementation of circular economy in industrial clusters. The paper intends to do so not only performing a theoretical analysis but also exploring the case study of the Prato textile industrial cluster that, through the introduction of different circular and symbiotic measures has been able to significantly reduce its environmental impact and at the same time thrive and succeed.