About the 4R ecosystem
4R is an open innovation ecosystem that strives to solve the plastics challenge by building new solutions for enhanced circular economy of plastic-containing products and plastic material as well as develop sustainable alternatives like bio-based solutions to replace conventional fossil-based plastics. The ecosystem is open for organisations interested in finding new business or in building new competences in plastics circularity like reuse or repair, plastics’ recycling and bio-based alternatives.
We have built a pioneer community to capture the opportunities within the systemic plastic challenges. Together we can boost positive development towards a world where we can promptly respond to the triple-planetary crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution) and create a world where valuable resources do not contribute to excess waste generation and are used in a linear non-sustainable way.
4R Vision
The 4R Vision is that by 2040, Finland leads the world beyond single‑use plastics, turning this global challenge into growth, resilience, and meaningful impact. The vision will be achieved through three key steps.
1. Drive systemic collaboration
We bring together companies, researchers, policymakers, financiers, and civil society to co‑create solutions that are both scalable and acceptable across existing and emerging plastics value chains.
2. Accelerate circular innovations
We develop and scale bio‑based materials, recycling technologies, reuse models, and repair and regenerative business models, bringing R‑strategies into practice as concrete solutions
3. Turn challenges into growth and resilience
We convert global sustainability pressures into over €1 billion in new business, exports, and investments for Finland, while strengthening resilience and supply security.
4R focus areas
The ecosystem strives to solve the plastics challenge by building new solutions for enhanced circular economy of plastic-containing products and plastic material as well as develop sustainable alternatives like bio-based solutions to replace conventional fossil-based plastics.
The 4R ecosystem has renewed its focus areas to ensure stronger systemic impact and closer alignment with European policy, particularly the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles.
The work will advance through three spearheads. Packaging is treated holistically, bringing together bio-based alternatives, recyclability, reuse, and waste reduction. Technical plastics and composites combine construction plastics and bulky industrial composites into one systemic area with shared challenges and opportunities. Textiles are introduced as a new spearhead, given their high dependency on fossil plastics, extremely low circularity rates, and Finland’s strong position in research and industry to pioneer scalable solutions for bio-based alternatives.
Together, these three spearheads form a focused, strategically aligned, and member-driven framework.
