The circular economy is going mainstream, or trying to. Brand owners are scrambling to create more sustainable business practices, products and packaging. Perhaps partly because they are told younger consumers buy on sustainability criteria, partly to avoid legislation as governments around the world examine polluter pays principles, and just possibly because they want to do the right thing. It's also increasingly demanded by shareholders and institutional investors - by whom corporate leaders will soon be held accountable over environmental issues.

As well as big stick, there's big carrot: Sustainability is good business, according to Unilever’s growth categories. It could be that a side effect of creating closed loop recycling schemes – as retailers and brands are attempting with plastics as well as ‘disposable’ fashion – is more circular business models; goods and returns direct-to-consumer.

Brands including Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, Mars, Coca-Cola, Mondelēz and Danone have already signed up to the ‘Loop’ scheme launched at the World Economic Forum earlier this year. It’s best described as the ‘milkman’ model, where goods are delivered full, and empties collected, reused or recycled.

The challenge for brands, governments and the planet – is to get people to use those systems and buy those products. Nike’s latest initiative, focusing next generation creativity on re-creation, is a small but positive step on that journey.