Objective

An inclusive and circular textile waste value chain has been established in India.

Context

India is the second largest textile and apparel producer in the world. However, the sector is facing many environmental, social and economic challenges. Globally, textile waste is one of the industry’s most pressing problems, with 15.1 million tonnes of apparel waste created annually-- less than 1% of which is recycled into new clothing. The rest is recycled into low-value products such as mattress stuffing. India is one of the largest importers of used clothing but lacks technology, infrastructure and skills to deal with textile waste, rendering an estimated 4 million informal waste workers trapped in unreliable, low-income jobs. Local waste collection and distribution is highly informal and fragmented, most often resulting in a lack of proper waste management. All this is causing a large share of textile waste being landfilled, polluting soils and causing toxic gas emissions.

Approach including the target group

GIZ and Concordia, together with Enviu and PurFI have joined forces with the goal of demonstrating and replicating a scalable and inclusive value chain of textile waste in India. The project is supported by BMZ’s funding programme ‘develoPPP’, a facility aimed at supporting companies’ sustainability initiatives in developing and emerging countries. The project is connecting the dots between various stakeholders across the textile supply chain to create a new model for better management of textile waste.

The project is addressing the key bottlenecks of sourcing, sorting, and collecting textile waste. The model will not only provide effective waste management solutions but also create dignified livelihoods for waste workers. In addition, the project aims at setting up a vast network of solution providers and other stakeholders in order to build a cohesive, circular, inclusive textile waste management value chain. The joint efforts of all partners involved are instrumental in promoting efficient sorting and recycling processes throughout the country. A blueprint of the business model for a sorting centre will be developed, which has replication and scale up potential to be taken up by public and private entities, as well as brands and manufacturers in the textile sector.

In addition, the project partners are inviting others to join in these efforts through capacity building and market building. The project will create sustained and dignified livelihoods for waste workers by upskilling them with a Textile Waste Methodology and through capability building. It will also stimulate the growth of other sustainable solution providers by sharing new alternatives for the reuse of textile waste and a Reuse-Guide that will be disseminated widely.

Highlight Activities

• A High – tech sorting centre (capacity of 3 million kg) has been established in Chennai and is functioning since March 2021.
• The textile waste has been sent for sorting to the Sorting centre from various brands, manufacturers and hotels.
• Some waste providers of the project: Waste providers: Arvind, Welspun, SCM, Bergner, Geena, Sharadha, Shahi, Pure Waste, SV Textiles and H&M.
• Successful spinning trials with Brands: H&M, Decathlon and with Manufacturers: Arvind, SCM and Sharadha,
• The project has developed a sorting training manual for collecting and handling of waste at the cutting table which will be used by the sorters and trainers.
• The project is setting up a professional sorting and collecting value chain and sharing the knowledge through:
  • Reuse Guide: Facilitating sustainable solution providers with information on available potential recycling solutions of textile waste.
  • Textile Waste Management Methodology: Creating a methodology for building long-term capacities of the waste pickers/chindiwalas within the value chain.
• By fostering job readiness for the waste pickers through textile waste management methodology which will enable individuals in the textile waste sector to enhance their livelihoods and economic capacity in the long-term.
• At least 6 women now employed at sorting centre in Chennai.