Circular Economy : The concept of changing the world

A circular economy is a system built on three principles set out by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation: eliminate waste and pollution by design, circulate products and materials at their highest value, and regenerate nature. The globally used order of priority is Reduce first, then Reuse, and Recycle last. Reuse always ranks above recycling because it requires no processing energy and loses no material along the way.

Recycling PET bottles into fibre and fabric is a clear example, but it has limits. Every melt cycle shortens the polymer chains and lowers quality, so mechanical recycling is practical for roughly five to ten cycles before virgin material has to be blended in. 

How could we help this world?

Start by getting the most out of what already exists. Reuse means using an item again in its original role, while upcycling is a form of reuse that raises the item's value or usefulness above what it was — turning fabric offcuts into a bag rather than discarding them. Choosing manufacturers with genuine environmental management practices matters too. It is never too late to start.

At Jong Stit, we produce recycled polyester fabric from used PET bottles and pre-consumer textile waste, keeping those materials in use rather than sending them to landfill.