Ever since the famous trash jar phenomenon, you, like many others, might be obsessed with eliminating your waste. As time goes on, eco-friendly trends like these develop in a more meaningful way. Zero-waste habits are evolving into a circular economy mindset, where more than individual responsibility is considered. 

People want to do more than reduce waste at home — they want consumer culture to reshape how it makes products for reusability and longer life cycles. Here’s how you can start adopting these ideas to ascend past zero waste.

1. Textile Upcycling and Reimagining

Saying no to fast fashion was likely one of your first actions as a budding environmentalist. Buying from sustainable companies or secondhand outlets was likely the next. Ethical disposal of clothes still poses a challenge for many, as donation centers are no longer sufficient. Additionally, textile recycling avenues are difficult to come by.

Instead of throwing your unwanted clothes into a bag and hoping they find a new home, the circular option would be to find ways to give them a fresh start. Cut up an old shirt and make fashionable, reusable napkins instead of purchasing disposable options on Amazon. Use thin, plastic- and dye-free fabrics as a substitute for cheesecloth. The upcycled fabric DIY options are endless. You can make throw pillow covers, table settings, cleaning rags and more.

You can also re-imagine clothes and accessories to meet your current fashion desires. A white dress from a few years ago may not sound appealing now you’ve embraced only autumnal colors all year. Source ethical, sustainable dyes and give it a red or brown makeover. It could become your favorite go-to all over again. Here are a few other considerations for finding new ways to wear clothes:

• Do visible mending to give clothes more character
• Get alterations to have items fit differently
• Install a new accessory, like a zipper, patch or studs to make it feel new

2. Bulk Food Purchases

You may have Mason jars already littering your cabinets. However, many people still buy boxes of pasta or bags of sugar and simply dump the contents into the more aesthetically pleasing containers. While the paper and cardboard boxes for these food items are usually recyclable, it’s more ideal for you to go to a bulk store and avoid the waste altogether.

If you have a bulk store near you, all you have to do is take a bag of containers to the store and get them weighed. Then, you grab the food products you want, whether it’s a spice, vinegar or rice blend. When you go to checkout, the cashier reweighs and charges you based on the value. 

Circular use of infinitely recyclable glass is even better than recycling food packaging. However, access to bulk stores is limited across the world, so recycling may be your only option. This is still valuable for a circular economy, because it helps manufacturers. Recycling permits them to not use 100% virgin resources, keeping as many packaging materials in circulation as possible.

3. Rent and Borrow

When was the last time you used your 10-foot ladder or belt sander? Was it necessary to go to a fast fashion retailer — even if just for a special occasion — to buy a dress for a wedding you’ll only wear once? You probably don’t need every garment and gadget you own. Choose collaborative consumption over consumerism first.

Take a more circular approach by abstaining from buying the item at all. Renting and borrowing as-needed products is a more sustainable way to reduce overconsumption waste. This is a golden opportunity to get to know your neighbors. See how you can deepen your area’s connection to the environment by sharing resources and values about circular economy practices.

4. App-Based Community Groups

There are many social media apps connecting like-minded environmentalists like you who don’t like throwing stuff away. These go beyond secondhand sites, like Depop and eBay, into more community-focused engagement.

The most popular is the Buy Nothing movement. Buy Nothing groups are initiated by eco-aware individuals on social platforms, like Facebook, and they aim to connect people with free, unwanted items that would otherwise go to the landfill. Sometimes, these include items, like broken desks or themed party decorations, that wouldn’t make it on online marketplaces. However, you never know if a neighbor is a handyperson or has a household with 10 kids who all need parties.

There are several similar apps specifically for reducing food waste. TooGoodToGo is a commercial example, which allows local restaurants to sell leftovers at the end of the day that would otherwise go in the trash. People can buy them at a discount, making meals cheaper and less wasteful. 

Another food-based option you can try is ShareWaste. Many know about the benefits of composting, but not everyone has the resources or use for it, especially if you lack outdoor space. ShareWaste encourages the circular economy by connecting people who either want to donate or receive compost and food scraps.

5. Refillable Home and Personal Care

The skin care industry is one of the most lucrative on the planet, and other bottled products, like cleaners, are ballooning in revenue, too. If DIY shampoos, toothpastes and all-purpose disinfectants haven’t worked for you or your home, the circular choice is a refillable brand. Many companies like Plaine Products, SodaStream and Blueland have made waves in the single-use plastic industry by using glass or aluminum instead. 

The kicker is customers can send their products back for a refill — never needing to purchase a single-use package ever again. Activists hope this circular economy trend goes outside of home and beauty products. Imagine being able to refill products, like nut milks or cat litter, without buying additional packaging. 

Beyond Zero Waste

Zero waste is often an introduction into eco-friendly lifestyles. Many of you may have outgrown these habits and need a shift into something more impactful. It’s possible to reduce your carbon footprint and waste further by promoting a circular economy. These hacks can get you started and inspire you to think outside the zero waste box.