MUSA Spoke 5: three years of research for a more circular future presented at Milano Circolare 2025
At the Milano Circolare 2025 event, open to the Milanese community, the results of three years of research were showcased, illustrating how dialogue between academia, institutions and practitioners can foster social and sustainable innovation across the fashion, cosmetics and design sectors.
On 3 November, the spaces of BASE Milano hosted Milano Circolare 2025, an event organised by the City of Milan and MUSA Spoke 5, a research project funded by the NRRP and coordinated by the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering of the Politecnico di Milano. The event brought together a full day of meetings, discussions and testimonials, aimed at sharing with the Milanese community the insights and experiences developed over three years of work dedicated to sustainability and innovation within the city’s urban and productive fabric.
Researchers, businesses and institutions took turns on stage, contributing to a collective narrative that highlighted the pilot projects and research initiatives developed to support the transition towards more circular models in the fashion, cosmetics and design industries.
The event also featured fifteen exhibition areas where participants could interact with researchers from the universities (Università Statale di Milano, Bicocca, Bocconi and the Politecnico di Milano) and with the companies involved in MUSA Spoke 5 and in the Milano Circolare Catalogue.
Throughout the day, various moments of discussion enabled participants to explore the tools, methodologies and concrete outcomes generated by the MUSA Spoke 5 project. It was an opportunity to reflect on how collaboration between universities and Milan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem can create shared value and contribute to building a more aware, responsible and competitive city.
Researchers from the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering presented numerous projects within MUSA Spoke 5 aimed at supporting the Municipality of Milan, local businesses and innovative training solutions.
In collaboration with Bocconi University and the City of Milan, a tool was designed to measure urban circularity. This framework aims to support the implementation of the City’s Action Plan by assessing circular fashion and design organisations and activities within Milan.
Special attention was also devoted to the challenge of talent attraction in the fashion–luxury supply chains, exploring the use of XR as an immersive, gamified tool to valorise manufacturing know-how and engage younger generations.
The event also included a networking and matchmaking session facilitated by researchers from the Politecnico di Milano, bringing together actors involved in material recycling and reuse, social innovation and the broader innovation ecosystem. In a climate of participation and exchange, new connections and collaborative opportunities emerged, perfectly embodying MUSA’s mission to promote social and sustainable innovation capable of generating real impact across the territory.
The event concluded with an interactive panel presenting the two editions of the Ideathon project, developed in collaboration with Bocconi University, which introduced an innovative training pathway for students from all Milanese universities. The Ideathon challenges students to rethink sustainable solutions in the fashion and design sectors, guided by the needs of partner companies.
With this event, MUSA Spoke 5 brings its three-year research journey to a close, while at the same time opening up new avenues for collective work. A milestone that also marks a new beginning, continuing to foster a Milan that is ever more circular, inclusive and future-oriented.