SHIRCLE things: Library of Things

Rarely used everyday objects (carpet cleaners, table grills, SUPs, etc.) are expensive to buy new, time-consuming to buy used and need valuable space in the small basement. Well-connected Zurich residents or those with sufficient financial resources can react flexibly. Everyone else is dependent on conventional buying-and-selling – expensive new purchases or time-consuming searching. A structured lending solution does not yet exist. We believe that Zurich residents would borrow much more often if they had a convenient, high-quality and cost-effective lending infrastructure at their disposal. SHIRCLE things creates exactly that: a library of things with a structured community cycle, self-service and self-checkout. As simple as the library, but for Things! The principle is very simple: BORROW everyday objects easily and cheaply or even free of charge: scan your membership card, scan the item, confirm the loan. RETOUR is just as easy: scan the item, answer questions about cleanliness and functionality, confirm return, done. BRING unwanted or space-consuming things: The Thing remains in the local circuit and you get the right to borrow this category for free as long as there is availability. Our mission is to create a new understanding of needs where access is more important than ownership. Good for the planet and your wallet. We want to make borrowing a practical matter of course. Every loan instead of a new purchase reduces CO₂ emissions through reduced production and transport routes and reduces consumer waste of all kinds in the city of Zurich. Unlike other sharing initiatives, whether peer-to-peer lending or locations with few items, SHIRCLE things will offer hundreds of items in one place in the pilot quarter. Window robots for spring cleaning? Drill for the few screws in the wall? Real plates for the garden party instead of disposable ones? Another raclette grill for the hosting evening? Football goals for the Schüeli training when the football pitch is occupied? Yes, simply rent everything from SHIRCLE things with inventory search function, self-check-in and self-checkout: a simple and fast circular alternative to buying new. Community Features: Donors can use the SHIRCLE app to track how often their donated Thing has been borrowed and how much CO₂ has been saved as a result. No more guessing what happened to the thing. And the inventory grows with the community: via community voting in the SHIRCLE app, members can suggest or decide what to buy next. The idea SHIRCLE things won the audience award and the 2nd jury prize at the Climathon Züri 2025. The technical platform (self-check-in/self-checkout/SHIRCLE app) is already in use at SHIRCLE@Josy in Zurich. From around June 2026, SHIRCLE@WilderMann is expected to move in with the former Wilder Mann and have some things in the lending range until February 2028. A SHIRCLE things in the net-zero pilot district would permanently anchor this community-sharing infrastructure in Zurich for the first time as a fully-fledged Library of Things – and prove that communal lending can be the new normal. _______________ Rarely used everyday items such as carpet cleaners, table grills, and SUPs are expensive to buy new, time-consuming to find secondhand, and take up precious space in small storage rooms. Well-connected Zurich residents or those with sufficient financial means can adapt with ease. Everyone else falls back on conventional buy-and-sell behaviour: costly new purchases or time-consuming secondhand searches. A structured borrowing solution simply doesn't exist in Züri. We believe Züri residents would borrow far more often if they had access to a convenient, high-quality and affordable borrowing infrastructure. SHIRCLE things provides exactly that: a Library of Things with a structured circular community, self-service access, and self-checkout. Like a library, but for things! The idea is simple: BORROW everyday items easily and affordably, or even for free: scan membership card, scan item, confirm borrowing. RETURN is just as easy: scan item, answer questions on cleanliness and functionality, confirm return, done. BRING in unwanted or space-consuming things: The item stays in the local circular economy and you earn the right to borrow that category for free, subject to availability. Our mission: to create a new understanding of needs, one where access matters more than ownership and is good for planet and pocket. We aim to make borrowing the obvious, everyday choice. Every borrowed item reduces CO₂ emissions through fewer production runs and shorter supply chains, and cuts consumer waste of all kinds across Züri. Unlike other sharing initiatives, whether peer-to-peer borrowing or locations with a handful of items, SHIRCLE things will offer hundreds of items in one Pilotquartier location. A window vacuum for spring cleaning? A drill for those few screws in the wall? Real plates for the garden party instead of going disposable? An additional raclette grill for a hosting night? Football goals for Schüeli training when the pitch is taken? Yes, borrow them all at SHIRCLE things with its inventory search functionality, self-check-in and self-checkout: a simple, fast circular alternative to buying new. Community Features: Donors can track in the SHIRCLE App how often their donated thing has been borrowed and how much CO₂ has been saved. No more wondering what became of it. And the inventory grows with the community: Members can suggest and decide what gets added next via Community Voting in the SHIRCLE App. // SHIRCLE things won both the Public Voting Prize and 2nd Jury Prize at Climathon Züri 2025. The technical platform (self-check-in/self-checkout/SHIRCLE App) is already up and running at SHIRCLE@Josy in Züri. SHIRCLE@WilderMann is expected to open at the former Wilder Mann around June 2026, with a few things available to borrow until February 2028. A SHIRCLE things in the Netto-Null Pilotquartier would establish this community sharing infrastructure as a Library of Things in Züri, and usher in community borrowing as the new normal.

leihlager.ch in Basel // leihbar.ch in Bern // https://shircle.ch/things // https://shircle.ch/pilotquartier

We are a company (e.g. start-up, SME)

SHIRCLE und silden ag

I/we implement the idea independently

100 to 200m² in the pilot quarter. Bright, inviting, boutique atmosphere. A function check area to check device functions. Good location: circular lending shopping as everyday life, not as a detour. 100 to 200m² in the Pilotquartier. Bright, welcoming, boutique feel with a quality check area for testing items' functionality. Centrally located to make circular shopping an easy habit.