Nominations open for Full Circle Awards 2026 (Ireland)

The Full Circle Awards celebrate individuals, community groups, social enterprises, and small businesses that promote circular living across Ireland through reuse, repair, upcycling, waste reduction, and sustainable practices. The awards recognize practical initiatives that help build a circular economy and encourage communities to reduce waste and extend the life of products.

Each category winner receives €2,000, a handcrafted trophy made from upcycled materials, and national recognition through Circular.ie, social media, and press coverage. Adults aged 18 years and over are eligible to apply or be nominated, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

Overview of the Full Circle Awards

The Full Circle Awards recognize individuals and projects that are making circular living a practical part of everyday life in Ireland.

The awards celebrate innovative ideas, community leadership, and sustainable practices that help reduce waste, promote reuse, and support the transition to a circular economy.

The initiative encourages people to create long-lasting environmental and social impact through local action and creative solutions.

Purpose of the Awards

The awards aim to:

Promote circular economy principles
Encourage reuse, repair, and upcycling
Recognize community-led sustainability initiatives
Celebrate innovation in circular design
Reduce waste and resource consumption
Inspire more people to adopt sustainable lifestyles

Award Categories

Applicants and nominees can be recognized in several categories that showcase different aspects of circular living.

Repair and Reuse Champion

Recognizes individuals or projects that:

Promote repairing products instead of replacing them
Encourage reuse of household items
Extend product life through maintenance and refurbishment

Community Circular Champion

Honors community leaders and volunteers who:

Organize circular economy initiatives
Promote local sustainability projects
Encourage community participation in waste reduction

Creative Circular Design

Celebrates creative professionals and innovators who:

Design products using recycled or reused materials
Develop sustainable product designs
Encourage environmentally responsible production

Circular Living Advocate

Recognizes individuals who:

Raise awareness about sustainable living
Educate communities on circular practices
Inspire behavioral change through advocacy

Best Community Campaign

Rewards campaigns that:

Increase public awareness of circular economy principles
Encourage repair, recycling, and reuse
Mobilize communities to reduce waste

Circular Sports Champion

Recognizes initiatives that:

Reuse sports equipment
Reduce waste in sporting activities
Promote sustainable sports events and facilities

Prize and Benefits

Each category winner receives:

€2,000 funding award
Handcrafted trophy created from upcycled materials
Recognition through Circular.ie
Social media promotion
Media and press coverage
Increased visibility for their sustainability work

Who is Eligible?

The awards are open to adults aged 18 years and above living in Ireland.

Eligible Applicants

Community activists
Volunteers
Individuals developing circular economy solutions
Micro-business owners
Sole traders with 10 employees or fewer
Social enterprise employees working in organizations with 250 employees or fewer

Business Eligibility

Eligible businesses must:

Demonstrate genuine circular economy practices
Actively integrate sustainability into daily operations
Operate as small businesses or sole traders

Who is Not Eligible?

The following applicants are not eligible:

Full-time professional sustainability consultants
Professional circular economy advisors
Corporate employees whose primary role is sustainability or circularity
Large businesses and corporations with dedicated sustainability teams
Organizations whose sustainability work is primarily managed by external consultants

Nomination Requirements

Applicants can either nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else.

Nomination Rules

Self-nominations are accepted
The nominator must personally know the nominee or have firsthand knowledge of their work
The nominee must be aware of the nomination
Applications should accurately reflect genuine circular achievements

How to Apply

Step-by-Step Application Process

Review the award categories carefully.
Select the category that best matches your work.
Gather evidence of your circular living achievements.
Obtain the nominee’s consent if submitting a nomination.
Complete the official application or nomination form.
Submit all required information before the application deadline.

What Makes a Strong Application?

Successful applications typically demonstrate:

Measurable environmental impact
Community engagement
Practical circular economy solutions
Innovation and creativity
Long-term sustainability
Clear evidence of achievements

Why These Awards Matter

The Full Circle Awards help accelerate Ireland’s transition toward a circular economy by recognizing individuals who create meaningful environmental and community impact.

The awards:

Encourage waste reduction
Promote repair instead of disposal
Support sustainable consumption
Inspire community innovation
Strengthen local environmental leadership
Increase awareness of circular living practices

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Application Mistakes

Selecting the wrong award category
Providing insufficient evidence of impact
Failing to obtain nominee consent
Describing sustainability goals without measurable results
Omitting examples of community involvement

Tips for a Strong Nomination

Include measurable outcomes
Provide photographs or project documentation where appropriate
Highlight innovation and creativity
Demonstrate lasting community benefits
Explain how the project promotes circular economy principles

Key Concepts Explained

What is Circular Living?

Circular living is a sustainable approach that keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible through:

Repair
Reuse
Refurbishment
Upcycling
Recycling
Waste prevention

The goal is to reduce environmental impact while conserving natural resources.

What is a Circular Economy?

A circular economy is an economic system that minimizes waste by designing products and services that maximize reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling rather than following a traditional “take, make, dispose” model.

What is Upcycling?

Upcycling is the process of transforming discarded materials into products of higher value or improved quality without breaking them down into raw materials.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are the Full Circle Awards?

The awards recognize individuals and organizations making significant contributions to circular living, reuse, repair, and sustainability across Ireland.

2. Who can apply?

Adults aged 18 years or older, including community volunteers, activists, micro-business owners, sole traders, and eligible social enterprise workers.

3. Can I nominate myself?

Yes. Self-nominations are accepted.

4. What is the prize?

Each category winner receives €2,000, a handcrafted upcycled trophy, and national recognition through media and Circular.ie.

5. Are large companies eligible?

No. Large corporations with dedicated sustainability teams or consultants are not eligible.

6. What kinds of work are recognized?

Projects involving repair, reuse, upcycling, community sustainability, circular product design, food waste reduction, and sustainable sports initiatives.

7. What makes an application competitive?

Strong applications clearly demonstrate measurable impact, innovation, community engagement, and genuine commitment to circular economy principles.

Conclusion

The Full Circle Awards recognize the everyday people, small businesses, and community organizations driving Ireland’s transition to a circular economy. By rewarding innovation, repair, reuse, and sustainable living, the awards celebrate practical solutions that reduce waste, strengthen communities, and inspire wider adoption of circular practices for a more sustainable future.