Community-oriented reuse organisations: A strong sustainability articulation of the circular economy

As circular economy (CE) strategies become mainstream in policy and business practice, concerns have emerged about their narrow focus on techno-economic efficiency, often associated with "weak sustainability". In parallel, a growing number of grassroots, public, and hybrid initiatives have emerged at the local level, bridging product and material recovery with social inclusion, education, and ecological care, closer to what is called "strong sustainability". This paper conceptualises these actors as Community-Oriented Reuse Organisations (COREOs), organisations that operationalise CE through locally embedded governance structures and community participation. We conducted a scoping review of academic and grey literature to synthesise empirical evidence on such organisations. The analyses identify four recurring elements: resource stewardship, social capital, physical infrastructure, and organisational permanence, which are integrated into the COREOs model. Applying this model in the analysis of the 42 COREOs, we identify six narrative archetypes reflecting organisational self-identification (e.g., reuse shops, repair cafés, makerspaces) and five institutional families based on legal forms. We further analyse organisational states and potential development pathways based on structural and functional characteristics. By conceptualising COREOs as meso-level organisational infrastructures that mediate between national CE strategies and locally embedded practices, this study highlights their often overlooked role in enabling strong sustainability transitions. The findings provide a conceptual framework for analysing community-based reuse initiatives and provide insights for governance strategies and policy design supporting circular economy implementation.