This article investigates the phenomenon of rebound effects in relation to a transition to a Circular Economy (CE) through qualitative inquiry. The aim is to gain insights in manifestations of rebound effects by studying the Dutch textile industry as it transitions to a circular system, and to develop appropriate mitigation strategies that can be applied to ensure an effective transition. The rebound effect, known originally from the energy efficiency literature, occurs when improvements in efficiency or other technological innovations fail to deliver on their environmental promise due to (behavioral) economic mechanisms. The presence of rebound in CE contexts can therefore lead to the structural overstatement of environmental benefits of certain innovations, which can influence reaching emission targets and the preference order of recycling. In this research, the CE rebound effect is investigated in the Dutch textile industry, which is identified as being vulnerable to rebound, yet with a positive potential to avoid it. The main findings include the very low awareness of this effect amongst key stakeholders, and the identification of specific and general instances of rebound effects in the investigated industry. In addition, the relation of these effects to Circular Business Models and CE strategies are investigated, and placed in a larger context in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding about the place and role of this effect in the transition. This concerns the necessity for a new approach to how design has been practiced traditionally, and the need to place transitional developments in a systems perspective. Propositions that serve as theory-building blocks are put forward and include suggestions for further research and recommendations about dealing with rebound effects and shaping an eco-effective transition.

本文通过定性探究，研究了与向循环经济（CE）转变相关的反弹效应现象。目的是通过研究荷兰纺织业过渡到循环系统后获得反弹效应表现的见解，并制定适当的缓解策略以确保有效过渡。反弹效应最初是从能源效率文献中得知的，发生在效率提高或其他技术创新由于（行为）经济机制而无法实现其环境承诺的情况下。因此，消费电子环境中反弹的存在会导致某些创新对环境收益的结构性夸大，这可能会影响达到排放目标和回收的优先顺序。在这项研究中，在荷兰的纺织业中研究了CE反弹效应，该现象被认为容易反弹，但具有避免反弹的积极潜力。主要发现包括主要利益相关者对这种影响的认识很低，以及在所调查行业中确定反弹效应的具体和一般情况。此外，还研究了这些效果与循环业务模型和CE策略之间的关系，并将其放在更大的背景下，以便更全面地了解此效果在过渡中的位置和作用。这涉及到采用传统方法进行设计的新方法的必要性，以及将过渡性开发置于系统角度的需求。