A textile recovery alliance called Re-Start has been launched to position India as a leading Next-Gen solutions hub. Helming the alliance is innovation platform Fashion for Good in collaboration with Laudes Foundation, IDH, Canopy and Reverse Resources.
- The alliance was launched at an event in New Delhi where Fashion for Good released a toolkit designed to revalorise textile waste in India. The toolkit signals the closure of the Sorting for Circularity India Project.
- The toolkit, which draws from upon the insights gained throughout the project, has been designed to harness the untapped potential of textile waste in India.
- Together, these resources claim to provide valuable insights, assessments, and practical guidance to advance recycling in India's textiles industry.
The sorting project: In 2021, Fashion for Good launched the Sorting for Circularity India Project to organise the Indian textile waste market in a three-phase approach to streamline, strengthen and foster the Indian textile waste market to drive the transition to a more circular economy that recaptures value to its maximum potential.
- It brought together various industry players including Adidas, Levi Strauss & Co, PVH Corp, Target, Arvind Limited, Birla Cellulose and Welspun India, besides Fashion for Good innovators Reverse Resources, PICVISA, and Matoha; H&M, Primark, and TESCO also joined as external partners.
- The project was supported through catalytic funding provided by Laudes Foundation and IDH, and knowledge support from Canopy and Circle Economy Foundation.
The context: With the upcoming surge of legislation on textile waste management, the value of post-consumer waste is expected to rise, making it crucial for India to focus on post-consumer domestic (PCD) waste and develop the necessary infrastructure for collection, sorting, and pre-processing.
- Several pilots were carried out with innovators Matoha, PICVISA and Reverse Resources, as well as Greenworms, Saahas Zero Waste, Uptext, and Hasiru Dala Innovations as the sorters, and Arvind Ltd, Usha Yarns, Vardhman Textile Ltd, Kakkar Spinning Mills and Kay Gee Enterprises as the recyclers.
What they said:
The Sorting for Circularity India toolkit is a milestone in our journey towards a waste-free world. We have mapped the textile waste landscape, unpacking the huge potential, as well as the roadblocks and commercial opportunities in India’s textile waste industry. We are excited to move beyond rhetoric with this powerful coalition of partners and translate our findings into a roadmap for concrete actions.
— Katrin Ley
Managing Director
Fashion for Good
This incredibly strategic collaboration between three of our partners will be a game-changer in that it brings together three critical ingredients needed to scale the adoption of next-generation fashion materials globally – textile waste as the feedstock, the market in terms of brand commitments, and sizable investments. All of which India is abundant in, making the region ripe with potential.
— Anita Chester
Managing Director
Laudes India
India is very well positioned to become a global leader in low-carbon Next Gen textile production. Canopy is thrilled to be part of this new collaboration to help India realize that potential," said "With India’s abundance of textile waste, innovative industry leaders, and the collective buying power of our global network of brands, together we can transform unsustainable supply chains, reduce emissions, and create economic opportunities across India.
— Nicole Rycroft
Executive Director
Canopy
IDH is happy to have supported the Sorting for Circularity India project, which aligns with our aspirations to unlock opportunities within India's textile waste landscape. This initiative has provided the foundation for the Re-Start Alliance, marking a significant milestone in collaborative endeavours. We recognise the gap between pilots and scaling, and believe that unified strength and pre-competitive collaboration pave the way for scalable solutions.
— Jagjeet Singh Kandal
Country Director
IDH India
