A closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) is a model that integrates both forward and reverse logistics. It involves the deliberate process of collecting used products from consumers and channeling them back into the value chain for recovery. In this scenario, the return of used plastic homeware from customers to the manufacturer for reprocessing is a clear example of a reverse flow designed to recapture value from end-of-life products. This circular process, which contrasts with a traditional linear "take-make-dispose" model, is the defining characteristic of a closed-loop supply chain.

A. Open Loop Supply Chain: This describes a traditional, linear supply chain where products are made, used, and then disposed of, with no planned return to the manufacturer.

B. Forward Loop Supply Chain: This term refers only to the conventional flow of goods from the supplier to the end customer, excluding the return and reprocessing activities.

C. Manufacturing Supply Chain: This is a general term and is not specific enough. While the scenario involves manufacturing, it fails to describe the key feature of product returns and reprocessing.

1. Guide Jr, V. D. R., & Van Wassenhove, L. N. (2009). The evolution of closed-loop supply chain research. Operations Research, 57(1), 10-18. In the introduction (p. 10), a closed-loop supply chain is defined as a system designed to "maximize value creation over the entire life cycle of a product with dynamic recovery of value from different types and volumes of returns over time." This directly applies to the reprocessing of returned goods. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.1080.0628

2. Govindan, K., Soleimani, H., & Kannan, D. (2015). Reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain: A comprehensive review to explore the future. European Journal of Operational Research, 240(3), 603-626. The paper clarifies (Section 1, p. 604) that a CLSC is a more comprehensive concept than reverse logistics, as it considers the integration of the reverse chain with the forward chain, as seen in the Plastic Fantastic Ltd. example. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2014.07.012

3. Savaskan, R. C., Bhattacharya, S., & Van Wassenhove, L. N. (2004). Closed-loop supply chain models with product remanufacturing. Management Science, 50(2), 239-252. The abstract and introduction (p. 239) explicitly model a closed-loop supply chain where a manufacturer collects used products from the market for remanufacturing (a form of reprocessing), which aligns perfectly with the question's scenario. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.1030.0186