GS1 Germany's investment company butterfly & elephant is investing in the Munich-based start-up hey circle. The company develops reusable shipping packaging and a digital solution for tracking its use.
The hey circle system combines robust, reusable shipping boxes and bags with a software solution that documents circulation, savings and CO₂ emissions. Each packaging is labelled with a unique GRAI (Global Returnable Asset Identifier), allowing movements and savings to be tracked precisely. The company also uses the GTIN to uniquely identify packaging types and manage stock across different locations. The use of GS1 standards creates a common database that enables simple integration into existing logistics processes.
„Using GS1 standards such as GTIN and GRAI enables us to clearly identify packaging and transparently record sustainability data. This makes the circular economy measurable and applicable for companies.“
Doris Diebold, founder and managing director of hey circle
According to the company, the reusable packaging reduces waste by around 94 per cent, CO₂ emissions by 76 per cent and packaging costs by 53 per cent compared to single-use cartons. The accompanying software automatically records these values and makes them available for ESG reporting.
According to the company, hey circle currently works with over 90 corporate customers and has several tens of thousands of packages in circulation. Co-operations with parcel service providers support the integration of reusable packaging into existing logistics networks. The investment by butterfly & elephant is intended to promote the expansion of the system and further standardisation. „hey circle makes sustainability scalable. The team combines ecological responsibility with economic strength. Our investment promotes a model that uses GS1 standards to bring sustainable innovation into existing value chains,“ says Benjamin Birker, Managing Director at butterfly & elephant.
Source: GS1 Germany GmbH
