Francesca Brkic is a Project Manager within Make Fashion Circular, an initiative launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in May 2018. Make Fashion Circular works with 60+ global companies to establish a circular economy for fashion where business models increase the use of clothes, clothes are made from safe and renewable materials, and used clothes are made into new ones. Francesca’s focus is on building the evidence base and collaborating with brands and investors for innovative business models such as rental, subscription and pre-loved clothing.

In March 2019, Make Fashion Circular launched #wearnext, a collaborative campaign with New York City, leading fashion brands and local clothing collectors to engage residents to keep clothes in use by bringing them back to over 1,100 locations in the city. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation also works closely with IDEO to inspire and train product designers on circular economy, jointly publishing the Circular Design Guide.

Prior to her work at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Francesca worked at The Body Shop driving the sustainability of raw material supply chains, working with farmers, manufacturers and product designers all over the world. She is passionate about where and how things are made and how industry interacts with the natural environment. In 2018-2019, she conducted research with Cambridge University on the power of regenerative agriculture and the stewardship of natural resources.