Right now, most of the world’s economy is linear: Materials are mined, processed, manufactured, sold, and then eventually dumped in landfills. But the idea of  a circular economy—one in which materials are used in a closed loop, running on renewable energy—is gaining traction, and many companies are setting goals to become circular in the next few decades. The coming years will be crucial in solidifying the growing circular economy.

Read on at Fast Company for seven trends that are likely to help it expand in 2021.