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The Circular Economy

The circular economy model promotes sustainable production and consumption through closed-loop production which keep resources in play for as long as possible. It can address climate change issues, resource depletion and waste and it can also encourage economic growth and job creation. Maximizing recycling and re-use of materials is an important principle of the circular economy, however, it is not a panacea. The circular economy model can help countries rethink their economic growth, current production and wasteful consumption patterns and existing power structures in private and public sectors.



The United Nations also advocates for the circular economy model through its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production is about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better quality of life for all. Sustainable consumption and production aims at “doing more and better with less,” increasing net welfare gains from economic activities by reducing resource use, degradation and pollution along the whole lifecycle, while increasing quality of life.



Our current ‘take, make, dispose’ economic model relies on large quantities of cheap, easily accessible materials and energy and produces immense amounts of wastes. In Trinidad and Tobago, the average person produces 3 to 4 pounds of waste a day. This equates to the entire country producing over 700,000 tonnes of waste a year. The circular economy has the potential to be inclusive and sustainable and address the real needs of people, not just big business. A circular economy can promote local or regional community-led production and consumption models, including entrepreneurship and economic cooperation which could help support a more sustainable economic system – which is what a small island developing state, like Trinidad and Tobago should be incorporating into its economic development strategy.

Gaia Couture seeks to incorporate circular economy and SDG 12 principles since the jewellery line advocates for recycling and re-use of materials and promoting sustainable consumption through our materials and design concepts.

Feel free to connect with us online through this blog, Facebook or Instagram and let us know your views about circular economy, sustainable production and consumption, and sustainable fashion here in Trinidad and Tobago!



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