Page 12 - baseline

Executive Summary

The Indian Textiles and Apparel Industry is known for benchmarking system nor data were found for variables
its commitment to circularity, which began with a rich such as the quantity and quality of chemicals and
culture of reusing and recycling textiles in some form or auxiliaries used, water consumption per kg of fabric, etc.
the other. Companies in the domain have been actively
advocating, promoting and adopting circular practices, Waste mapping is essential in the apparel business
such as recycling, reusing and upcycling, to reduce because cotton solids, natural and man-made fibre
waste and promote sustainability. blends, and printed textiles account for a significant
portion of total waste produced. Typically, cutting waste
In a step to strengthen circularity practices in this is sold as “mixed waste” and is divided hierarchically at
sector, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale its source into small, medium, and large pieces.
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Aditya Birla Fashion
and Retail Limited (ABFRL) are collaborating on In apparel industries, cutting waste is collected from
“Approaches for Circular Textiles and Apparel production facilities and transported to India’s main
Industry in India (ACTAII)” as part of the Indo-German recycling and downcycling plants that manufacture
Development Public-Private Partnership program recycled fibre. Small-cut waste is shredded into fibres
(develoPPP). The ACTAII project aims to help India’s and blended with virgin fibres to produce recycled
textile and apparel industry embrace circular economy clothing. Pre- and post-consumer wastes are not Waste Type End Use Waste Application
principles by developing circular economy guidelines, sorted or pre-processed, resulting in higher virgin
circularity training modules, and collaborating with resource demand. NGOs, brands and charitable Cotton sweep waste and waste As raw material for allied
Downcycle & Repurpose
startups through an innovation challenge. organizations are major sources of formal post- from OE spinning mills industries
Fibre Waste
consumer waste collection via donation campaigns and
Recycle Comber and Pneumafil waste As coarser yarn for denim
To start with project activities, a baseline study was take-back programmes.
essential to determine the present status of circularity
Downcycle & Repurpose Denim yarn, End bits of Beam Used to make ropes
adoption in the Indian Textile & Apparel (T&A) sector. The figure (see next page) represents the five current
Yarn Waste
The study was initiated with a focus on the sector’s approaches to textile waste management: recycling,
Recycle Sized yarn Shredded into fibres
current situation concerning circular business reuse, downcycling, landfilling, and incineration.
practices, and the challenges, hotspots and potential Downcycle & Repurpose Blended and mixed colour fibres Bags
areas of circular interventions. It was conducted across Every stakeholder in the Indian waste industry attempts
the value chain and involved various stakeholders to maximize profits by selling waste, and soiled textile Knitted and woven white and White and coloured
Recycle
across India that provided valuable insights into waste is dumped in landfills since they are unaware of solids cotton cut waste recycled yarn
resource consumption, waste generation, and potential waste utilization techniques.
Fabric waste Reuse Clean bigger and medium cut piece Apparel
areas for improvement. It was found that while
considerable opportunities exist to reduce wastage, There are various ways by which textile waste can Worn clothes are sent to
challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited be managed. The most common methods include Disposal Soiled small cut waste landfill
Government support, and lower consumer demand for downcycling, recycling, reuse, and disposal.
sustainable products exist. Downcycling involves converting waste into a lower- Incineration Polyester cut waste As boiler fuel
quality product, while recycling involves converting
Overproduction Stock lot sale Stock lot sale
Academic stakeholders, the ecosystem’s foundation, waste into a new product of the same quality. Reuse Reuse Garments from overproduction
& Deadstock Stock lot sale
were the first to be approached during the baseline involves using waste products again without converting
assessment. The study subsequently continued with them into a new product. Disposal involves sending Bags, filler for mattress and
Downcycle & Repurpose Blended and mixed colour clothes
visits to various production facilities across the value waste to a landfill or incinerator. cushion
chain, contributing to mapping fibre and textile waste
Knitted and woven white and White and coloured recycled
in pre-consumer processes. During the assessment, The best method for managing textile waste will vary Recycle solids cotton clothes yarn
it was found that wet processing units, the most depending on the specific type of waste and the Post-Consumer
Waste
water- and energy-intensive processes following fabric available resources. However, by combining these Reuse Outsized clothes Second-hand apparel
production, contribute to high resource consumption methods, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount
Disposal Wipes made from clothes Sent to landfill
and low process efficiencies. Neither a national quality of textile waste that ends up in landfills and incinerators.
Incineration Soiled clothes Municipal incineration plant
12 Baseline Assessment Report