Food & Drink
11 Best Places for Mango Sticky Rice-Inspired Desserts in Bangkok
Discover the 11 best places in Bangkok to enjoy mango sticky rice–inspired ...
From recycled textiles to circular fashion, Jirarot “Wat” Pojanavaraphan rethinks the future of sustainable clothing.
The future of fashion is no longer about flashy, fast-changing trends. As the impact of fast fashion becomes a growing global issue, people have begun to rethink the way clothing is produced and consumed. Younger generations in particular have become more conscious of the choices they make, valuing sustainability, ethical production and long-term impact over short-lived trends.
As fashion moves towards a more responsible future, Jirarot “Wat” Pojanavaraphan stands among a new generation of entrepreneurs reshaping the industry through sustainability, textile recycling and local craftsmanship. A third-generation successor of SC GRAND, a family-owned yarn-spinning factory with more than 60 years of expertise in textile recycling, Wat has transformed his family’s traditional business through innovation while connecting modern fashion with local Thai communities.
Inside the Early World of Textile Recycling
Raised among spinning yarns, fabric scraps and the rhythm of textile production, Wat grew up surrounded by the transformation of discarded materials into new textile products. Long before sustainability became part of mainstream fashion conversations, recycling already existed as part of his family’s everyday business through SC GRAND, one of Southeast Asia’s leading textile recycling hubs. The company specialised in turning textile waste into new fabrics and products, from recycled cotton textiles to canvas fabrics, plus materials made from recycled plastic bottles.
“My grandmother always told me when I was young that our factory transformed what people saw as worthless into something valuable again.”
After completing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Assumption University, Wat developed a broader perspective on fashion, branding and consumer culture. Rather than stepping directly into the family business, he first explored his own entrepreneurial path through Mango Mojito, a footwear brand created with the belief that Thai products could stand alongside international brands while remaining accessible to local consumers.
His entrepreneurial journey later expanded through Supercat, a cleaning equipment brand recognised for its dust mop products. The brand became an important turning point that proved the family business could successfully enter modern retail markets. Frequent trips across provincial Thailand for Supercat also introduced Wat to communities rich in craftsmanship and local wisdom, yet many lacked design support and opportunities to reach wider markets. Those experiences later inspired VT THAI, a platform created to connect Thai handicraft communities with international audiences through the modern creative economy.
Introducing Circular Textiles into the Business
As VT THAI continued to grow, Wat began thinking more seriously about the long-term future of SC GRAND and what it would take for the family business to evolve. This eventually led him back to SC GRAND with a renewed vision for transformation.
“For me, waste was always part of the story. Looking back, I think that idea became one of the core values that still shapes the work I do today.”
Wat gradually began to see greater potential within the overlooked corners of the textile industry itself. Factory scraps, leftover yarns, old uniforms and discarded clothing no longer appeared as industrial waste, but as materials capable of renewal and reinvention.
SC GRAND had long been rooted in a zero-waste approach, working with textile waste from spinning, weaving and garment production and transforming it through recycling and upcycling to maximise material use.
When Wat returned to focus on SC GRAND in 2020, he did not redefine this foundation, but built upon it. He introduced a five-year vision to evolve the company into a more contemporary sustainable textile and recycling hub for Southeast Asia, with a stronger focus on branding, communication and the global positioning of recycled yarn systems within modern fashion industries.
Under Wat’s direction, SC GRAND underwent its most significant transformation since its founding. Investment was directed into machinery, innovation, branding, marketing and internal development as the company moved beyond traditional manufacturing into a broader sustainable textile business.
That same year, he launched CIRCULAR, a sustainable fashion brand created to demonstrate the potential of recycled textiles within everyday life. Through the brand’s OEM service, old corporate uniforms from organisations such as Thai Airways and other companies found new life as regenerated garments, extending the lifespan of materials that would otherwise become waste.
What distinguished the process was the sourcing of materials. Rather than relying heavily on recycled plastic bottles like the others, many inputs came directly from textile waste within fashion production, including fabric offcuts, surplus yarns and discarded garments collected from factories. The materials were sorted by colour before being transformed into new fabrics, allowing the garments to retain their natural tones without chemical dyeing. Different shades blended organically into each piece, leaving traces of the original material visible in the final textile.
“I believe business should create more than profit alone. As SC GRAND and CIRCULAR continue to grow, creating positive impact remains just as important as growth itself. What encourages me most is hearing that our work has started to inspire people within the textile industry and beyond, showing that businesses can become part of the solution for the future.”
Alongside production, SC GRAND strengthened transparency across its sustainability practices. The company implemented Life Cycle Assessment systems to measure environmental impact across production stages and obtained certifications including Global Recycled Standard and B Corp status, alongside joining 1% for the Planet to support environmental initiatives. Sustainability was embedded across the company’s structure, not only in its products but in its operating system.
The Long-Term Vision for Circular Fashion
Through SC GRAND and CIRCULAR, Wat continues to challenge perceptions around waste, proving that discarded materials can carry new value, new stories and new possibilities for fashion.
“Having grown up around the textile industry through my family, I’ve seen how much it has changed over the past 30 or 40 years. Thailand may not be able to compete with other countries on labour or electricity costs alone, but I’ve always believed we hold strength in another direction. Our location gives us the potential to become a recycling hub for Southeast Asia. What I want to build is a sustainable textile ecosystem where Thailand can play a much bigger role in the future of circular fashion.”
His long-term vision extends beyond a single brand. Wat aims to position SC GRAND as a global force in sustainable textiles, connecting every stage of the industry, from yarn spinning and fabric production to fashion and sportswear brands, through a circular supply chain. Whether for shirts, hats, bags, socks or uniforms, the goal remains the same: to prove that the future of fashion may begin with what the industry once chose to throw away.
