Upcycling our way through waste

Plastic waste, globally, has provoked significant responses and has been a driving force for collective action and regulatory mechanisms. However, closer to its heel is the challenge of textile waste, which is seeing a burgeoning pace due to rising consumption and the advent of fast fashion. In fact, research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has found that global clothing production has doubled in the past fifteen years, while clothing use has declined by almost 40 per cent. Statistics show that worldwide over only 20 per cent of post-consumer clothing is collected for reuse or recycling with less than 1 per cent being recycled back into the textile ecosystem. Every second, a truckload equivalent of textile waste ends up in a landfill worldwide! The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in its report on ‘Circular Economy in Municipal Solid and Liquid Waste’ (2021), highlights that 7,250 tons per day (TPD) of post-consumer textile waste is generated with a staggering 70 per cent (5,075 TPD) remaining unrecovered.

Today, textile waste is the third largest source of municipal solid waste in our country, highlighting the need for comprehensive solutions in textile waste management. As the textile sector strives to enhance the recovery of textile waste through sorting, collection, and recycling systems, what should not be missed are the local solutions that are driving the circular landscape. These solutions, championed by a diverse range of societal actors, are weaving compelling tales of sustainable fashion through upcycling.

The rich tapestry of India’s handloom heritage and weaving traditions play a vital role in our waste-management narrative. The knowledge of artisanal techniques like taanbaana and the skill of turning a simple katran into something new and better has been passed down through generations. Rising from the sidelines of this age-old story is the saga of the women upcyclers, who in their unique way, are preventing waste from going to landfills.

It is no surprise that women are at the forefront of this circular movement. These ‘handprints’ are of women entrepreneurs and home workers who are converting textile waste through innovative enterprise models. In Chennai, women’s collectives through the brand ‘Lily and the Wonder Women’ are converting post-consumer textile waste into toys by linkage with local tailor shops. Meanwhile, in the hills of Dehradun, the art of applique and patchwork is being revived by ‘Project Purukul’, while in Jaipur, rural women are hand-crafting upcycled toys, accessories and apparel under the brand ‘Mysa’. Ahmedabad’s ‘Raas Leela’, taps into the artisanship of unschooled women and home-based artisans utilising their skills in stitching, embroidery as well applique, to create upcycled products.

The emergence of many such upcycling clusters has not only created indigenous brands but also generated livelihood opportunities for women and home-based workers in urban, peri-urban areas and even rural areas. These women-led clusters are also actively reimagining circular traditional practices like repairing, thrifting, swapping, and upcycling.

Upcycling is not a new concept for Bharat. Kantha, practised in West Bengal, is a craft where old fabric scraps are repurposed to create new fashion and lifestyle products. Similarly, the Godhari quilting technique from Maharashtra breathes new life into old fabrics. The unique upcycling ecosystem of collecting old clothes in exchange for new utensils and selling upcycled garments in age-old markets like Ghoda Mandi is a testimony to the deep historical roots of circular practices prevailing in our culture. However, these age-old practices are now seeing a formal market with innovative ventures and start-ups. These ventures recognise the intrinsic value of potentially discarded waste. Small and micro-upcycling enterprises range from grassroot initiatives to luxury brands thus spanning the entire spectrum of circular fashion.

As we witness the rise of new-age enterprises that are blending traditional practices with innovative designs, the role of digital platforms in promoting circular trends has become increasingly significant. These platforms are helping digitise the textile waste value chain thus promoting a culture of conscious consumerism. Furthermore, digital shops and e-commerce platforms are allowing used clothing to be monetised instead of being discarded thereby extending the life of the garments. The traditional hand-me-downs among siblings and clothes-swapping habits of our culture are finding resonance with #GenerationRestoration. Rent and repair models are also offering affordable fashion and creating a shared economy.

Recognising the importance of this unique movement towards slow production with minimal wastage and environmental impact, the Government of India has taken several steps to provide a platform for upcycling enterprises. One such initiative is to showcase organisations and brands in various exhibitions to enable them to display their products to a larger audience and bring awareness about circular practices.

Further, during Bharat Tex 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Textiles Committee - Ministry of Textiles, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), to promote upcycled products in public procurement through an e-commerce platform for upcycling brands. This approach of including upcycled products in public procurement through GeM holds a promise of mainstreaming circularity.

Circularity has been an integral part of our culture, where zero-waste solutions have always been espoused. Efforts by enterprises, largely women and youth-led, have reestablished the immense potential of waste as a valued resource that it is and the economic opportunities it holds. This weave of tradition with innovation is a remarkable feature of our textile economy and needs to be strengthened by all the stakeholders, including policymakers, brands, industry, and even consumers, so as to lead the way to a circular future.

The writer is Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles. Views expressed are personal