Circular Economy & Industry 5.0 – Framework for Integrating Sustainability, Recycling, and Digital Manufacturing


Authors : Fahd Malik; Muhammad Raza Ul Haq

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 1 - January


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/5n82kx4b

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/56hnsw9t

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jan1150

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : The growing urgency of climate change, resource scarcity, and industrial transformation has given rise to new paradigms in manufacturing. While the circular economy emphasizes resource recovery and closed-loop systems, Industry 5.0 represents a shift toward human-centric, sustainable, and digitally enabled production. This paper proposes the Circular Economy–Industry 5.0 (CEI5) Framework, a novel model that integrates circular principles with advanced digital technologies such as digital twins, blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and collaborative robotics. The framework provides a structured approach for embedding sustainability into industrial practices while ensuring resilience and competitiveness. Case illustrations from automotive, electronics, and textiles demonstrate the framework’s application, while a critical discussion highlights key technological, economic, regulatory, and social challenges. The findings contribute to academic discourse and industrial practice by offering a holistic roadmap for transitioning toward regenerative, adaptive, and human-centric production systems.

Keywords : Circular Economy, Industry 5.0, Digital Twins, Sustainability, Recycling, Digital Manufacturing, Framework.

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The growing urgency of climate change, resource scarcity, and industrial transformation has given rise to new paradigms in manufacturing. While the circular economy emphasizes resource recovery and closed-loop systems, Industry 5.0 represents a shift toward human-centric, sustainable, and digitally enabled production. This paper proposes the Circular Economy–Industry 5.0 (CEI5) Framework, a novel model that integrates circular principles with advanced digital technologies such as digital twins, blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and collaborative robotics. The framework provides a structured approach for embedding sustainability into industrial practices while ensuring resilience and competitiveness. Case illustrations from automotive, electronics, and textiles demonstrate the framework’s application, while a critical discussion highlights key technological, economic, regulatory, and social challenges. The findings contribute to academic discourse and industrial practice by offering a holistic roadmap for transitioning toward regenerative, adaptive, and human-centric production systems.

Keywords : Circular Economy, Industry 5.0, Digital Twins, Sustainability, Recycling, Digital Manufacturing, Framework.

Paper Submission Last Date
28 - February - 2026

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