SHIRCLE kids: Children's Stuff Library

Children constantly need new equipment, from clothes to toys to sporting goods. While well-connected families or those with sufficient financial resources can react flexibly, others are dependent on conventional buying-and-selling: expensive new purchases or time-consuming searches in the Brocki. A structured and convenient solution for borrowing a wide variety of children's things does not yet exist. We believe that families in Zurich would borrow much more often if they had a convenient, high-quality and cost-effective community sharing infrastructure at their disposal. This is exactly what SHIRCLE kids achieves as a children's goods library with a structured community cycle, self-service and self-checkout. The community sharing platform makes renting children's goods a practical, attractive and sustainable alternative to traditional consumption, and offers Zurich families the opportunity to keep children's things in the local cycle. Good for the planet and your wallet. The technical infrastructure for community sharing (self-check-in, self-checkout, SHIRCLE app) is already in use. Since the end of 2025, SHIRCLE has been operating its first Zurich location at the Josy Circular Centre in partnership with the City of Zurich. SHIRCLE kids is built directly on this proven platform. The principle is very simple, as simple as the library, but for children's things: BORROW children's things for free (clothes, school desks, sporting goods, toys and more) for as long as you need them. BRING back borrowed items clean when you no longer need them. DONATE unwanted items to increase the free loan quota. Borrowing instead of buying saves CO₂, and members and donors can track their personal savings in the SHIRCLE app. Unlike other sharing initiatives – whether peer-to-peer lending or informal networking – SHIRCLE kids will offer hundreds of items in one place in the pilot quarter, with an app and integrated search function. A child seat or an expensive toy for visiting relatives? Football boots for a first school or a white shirt for a school concert? Ski suit for two weeks of winter vacation? Yes. Yes. Yes. Instead of having to build up their own private network, member families finally have a structured way to borrow children's things free of charge. 
All this in a physical location with children's boutique quality and community corner, simplified by self-service and self-checkout. BORROWING: Scan membership card, scan items, confirm loan. RETURN: Scan the item, answer questions about cleanliness and functionality, complete the return. COMMUNITY feature: Any member can bring back any item, just like in a library. The borrowing member remains responsible and will be informed via the app. The community corner invites you to linger, with coffee, board games and the exchange among families. Donors can drop off unwanted items directly to us, safe in the knowledge that they are guaranteed to stay in the local community and not end up abroad or even in the ocean. With community sharing, we want to create a new understanding of ownership, where access is more important than ownership. A SHIRCLE kids in the net-zero pilot district would be more than a store: It would be the chance to anchor SHIRCLE's circular sharing infrastructure as a children's library in Zurich for the first time, and to show that community sharing can be the new normal. _______________________ Children constantly need new stuff, from clothing and toys to sports gear. While well-connected families or those with sufficient financial means can adapt with ease, others rely on conventional buy-and-sell behaviour: expensive new purchases or time-consuming trips to second-hand shops. A structured, convenient solution for borrowing a wide range of children's items simply does not yet exist. We believe Züri families would borrow far more often if they had access to a convenient, high-quality and affordable community sharing infrastructure designed for families. SHIRCLE kids does exactly that: a children's lending library with a structured circular community, self-service access, and self-checkout. The community sharing platform makes borrowing children's goods a practical, attractive, and sustainable alternative to conventional consumption, giving Züri families a way to keep kids' items in the local circular economy. Good for planet and pocket. The technical infrastructure for community sharing (self-check-in, self-checkout, SHIRCLE App) is already up and running. In late 2025, SHIRCLE opened its first Züri location at Kreislaufzentrum Josy in partnership with the City of Zurich. SHIRCLE kids builds directly on this platform. The idea is simple, like a library, but for kids' stuff: BORROW kids' items for free (clothing, school bags, sports gear, toys and more) for as long as you need them. RETURN borrowed items clean when you're done. DONATE unneeded items to increase your free borrowing allowance. Borrowing instead of buying saves CO₂ and members and donors can track their 'green impact' in the SHIRCLE App. Unlike other sharing initiatives –whether peer-to-peer lending or informal networks– SHIRCLE kids will offer hundreds of items to borrow in the pilot quartier, with an app and integrated search function. A car seat or an expensive toy for visiting relatives? Football shoes for the first 'Schüeli' or a white shirt for the school concert? A ski suit for the winter holidays? Yes. Yes. Yes. Instead of having to build a private network, member families finally have a structured way to borrow children's items at no cost. All of this in a physical space with boutique quality and a community corner, simplified through self-service and self-checkout. BORROW: Scan membership card, scan item, confirm borrowing. RETURN: Scan item, answer questions on cleanliness and functionality, complete return. COMMUNITY feature: any member can return any item, just like a library. The borrowing member remains responsible and is notified via the app. The community corner invites you to linger, with coffee, board games, and conversation among families. Donors can drop off unwanted items directly with us, knowing they will stay in the local circular economy and not end up overseas or polluting the beach. With community sharing, we want to create a new understanding of needs, one where access matters more than ownership. A SHIRCLE kids in the Netto-Null Pilotquartier would be more than a shop: It would establish SHIRCLE's circular sharing infrastructure as a lending library for Züri families, and show that community sharing can be the new normal.

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

SHIRCLE und silden ag

I/we implement the idea independently

100 to 200 m² in the pilot district. Bright, inviting, boutique atmosphere. A community corner to hang out. Good location: circular lending shopping as everyday life, not as a detour. 100 to 200 m² in the Pilotquartier. Bright, welcoming, boutique feel with a community corner. Centrally located to make circular shopping an easy habit.