Creating Sustainable Value from Waste Ceramics: Case-Based Evidence from Jingdezhen’s Ceramic Industry

Ceramic production generates large quantities of fired waste that is durable, non-biodegradable, and increasingly difficult to manage through conventional waste disposal practices. This study analyzes how ceramic waste is transformed into sustainable value in Jingdezhen, China, a city where ceramic production and cultural heritage have developed over more than a millennium. Using a qualitative multiple-case design, this study examines representative cases from three ceramic waste reutilization pathways: industrial reuse, environment-oriented reuse, and craft-based artistic reuse. The analysis shows that ceramic waste creates sustainable value through three interconnected processes: material transformation, economic activation, and cultural re-signification. Industrial cases primarily promote resource recovery and product innovation; public and environmental projects improve environmental awareness by integrating ceramic waste into urban spaces; and artistic practices reinterpret discarded ceramics as a medium for historical reflection, cultural expression, and public engagement. Based on these findings, the study proposes a material economic cultural analytical framework that explains how these value dimensions interact to transform ceramic waste from an environmental burden into a strategic resource. This study goes beyond documenting feasible ceramic waste recycling models by demonstrating that effective circular resource management in heritage-based industrial regions depends not only on technical recycling practices but also on cultural connotations and public recognition, which, together, generate value across environmental, economic, and cultural significance. These findings extend the scope of circular economy research by demonstrating a viable pathway for heritage-based industrial regions to leverage their own cultural heritage in transforming ceramic waste into environmental, economic, and cultural value. They also provide a practical model for other heritage-based regions seeking to align waste management with sustainable development.