How to reconcile technology and justice in the circular economy: the innovation of open-source mid-tech solutions

This article explores how open-source practices can reconcile the often-competing demands of technological advancement and social justice in the circular economy (CE). While conventional CE frameworks prioritize technical sophistication over social equity, and low-tech solutions sometimes lack scalability and effectiveness, we propose that open-source mid-tech solutions offer a promising synthesis. Through two illustrative examples, we demonstrate how this approach embeds both social justice and technical effectiveness from the outset through community ownership, local technical sovereignty, and inclusive participation. This article thus examines how open-source practices may address environmental, labor, and gender justice while maintaining technical rigor. Though implementation challenges remain, particularly around sustainable funding and quality assurance, emerging examples suggest promising pathways for creating truly transformative CE initiatives that serve both technical and social goals.