As I was jobbing in restaurants to find my real passion after high school, I found myself increasingly curious about the fate of our waste once it leaves our immediate view. As I delved into my studies across three European universities, this curiosity blossomed into a profound appreciation for the diversity and untapped potential of what we often dismiss as mere "trash." It became clear to me that what we discard is far from worthless—and that it's not "trashy" at all.Several internships and side jobs in waste management and recycling fueled my passion for sustainable product development and its recycling processes, particularly for applications made from plastics and metals. Even though, I believe that a pure circular economy is a utopia, solutions for reusing materials in the highest possible value should be the goal to reach for. Together, let's pave the way towards a future where material life cycles don’t only work in theory, but also in reality.