The article explores the circular economy (CE) as an umbrella concept that provides a new framework for waste and resource management. Using Hirsch and Levin's notion of umbrella concepts, the authors argue that the CE concept offers a catalytic function by creating a cognitive unit and discursive space that centers on the capacity of resource life-extending strategies (RLESs) to prolong resource use and the relationships between these strategies. The CE concept thus provides a new perspective on waste and resource management, offering a framework for debate and knowledge generation. The CE concept emerged from a broader debate on waste and resource management, which has evolved from the 1960s onwards. The article traces the development of the CE concept, highlighting its role in addressing the knowledge gap in waste and resource management. It discusses the theoretical and practical development of the CE concept, emphasizing the need for the industrial ecology (IE) community to reinvigorate and grow its social science aspects to support both the theoretical development and implementation of the CE concept. The CE concept is characterized by its ability to group diverse strategies under a common framework, emphasizing the capacity of RLESs to extend resource life. The article identifies two key opportunities for IE: the theoretical development of the CE concept and its implementation. The CE concept's development follows a predictable trajectory, starting with the articulation of the concept, followed by a period of validity challenges, and ending with a further work stage where research opportunities exist. The article also discusses the relationship between the CE concept and other concepts such as sustainability, highlighting the need for further integration of social theories with IE to support the development of the CE concept. The CE concept's role in the waste and resource debate is to articulate the capacity of a group of strategies to extend resource life, facilitating additional value extraction and reducing value loss and destruction. This creates a cognitive unit and discursive space for debate, contributing to the development of meaningful and actionable waste and resource management practices.The article explores the circular economy (CE) as an umbrella concept that provides a new framework for waste and resource management. Using Hirsch and Levin's notion of umbrella concepts, the authors argue that the CE concept offers a catalytic function by creating a cognitive unit and discursive space that centers on the capacity of resource life-extending strategies (RLESs) to prolong resource use and the relationships between these strategies. The CE concept thus provides a new perspective on waste and resource management, offering a framework for debate and knowledge generation. The CE concept emerged from a broader debate on waste and resource management, which has evolved from the 1960s onwards. The article traces the development of the CE concept, highlighting its role in addressing the knowledge gap in waste and resource management. It discusses the theoretical and practical development of the CE concept, emphasizing the need for the industrial ecology (IE) community to reinvigorate and grow its social science aspects to support both the theoretical development and implementation of the CE concept. The CE concept is characterized by its ability to group diverse strategies under a common framework, emphasizing the capacity of RLESs to extend resource life. The article identifies two key opportunities for IE: the theoretical development of the CE concept and its implementation. The CE concept's development follows a predictable trajectory, starting with the articulation of the concept, followed by a period of validity challenges, and ending with a further work stage where research opportunities exist. The article also discusses the relationship between the CE concept and other concepts such as sustainability, highlighting the need for further integration of social theories with IE to support the development of the CE concept. The CE concept's role in the waste and resource debate is to articulate the capacity of a group of strategies to extend resource life, facilitating additional value extraction and reducing value loss and destruction. This creates a cognitive unit and discursive space for debate, contributing to the development of meaningful and actionable waste and resource management practices.