Closing the loop for resource efficiency is a well-known practice in the industry. Toconcretize the circular economy implementation strategies, closed-loop thinkingrequires innovation and adaptation. Circular supply chains (CSCs) are one of the keyenablers in closing the loop by design or intention for value recovery and profit maxi-mization. CSC is an emerging area, and the view of CSC where forward and reversesupply chain is seamlessly integrated with the overall aim to achieve system-wide cir-cularity is missing in the academic debate. By offering a cross-functional perspectiveof CSC, this paper presents a CSC guiding framework to structure and understandthe underlying complexities and highlight the crucial elements of the CSC implemen-tation. Thus, this framework lays the basis for CSC within the systemic implementa-tion of CE by closing the loop by design or intention. The framework categorizes theCSC into four building blocks, namely, systemic approach, main drivers, levels of deci-sion making, and mechanisms to manage the full loop closure and minimize the inher-ent uncertainties of a complex system. The building blocks of the framework aresynthesized from various streams of supply chain literature and recurring concepts inthe circular economy literature. The CSC framework applicability is illustrated usingtwo industrial cases that are transitioning towards the circular economy.