In a landmark move to accelerate denim circularity across Asia, Denim Deal has launched the Denim Deal India Hub in partnership with the Global Alliance for Textile Sustainability Council (GATS) and Enviu, a global venture builder. This powerful collaboration aims to scale the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) cotton in denim production across India and global export markets.
The launch follows a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the three parties in May 2025 and represents a significant expansion of the Denim Deal initiative beyond Europe, building on its success in aligning brands, suppliers, and recyclers around measurable commitments to circularity.
A Scalable Solution for a Global Challenge
India is one of the world’s largest producers of denim garments and home to a fast-growing domestic consumer market. However, despite an abundant textile waste stream, circular supply chains remain fragmented. The Denim Deal India Hub bridges this gap by uniting technical guidance, operational infrastructure, and brand engagement under one framework, the Denim Deal Certified Recycled Fiber (DDCRF) standard.
Denim Deal will contribute global expertise and standards, facilitate knowledge sharing, and connect international brands operating in or sourcing from India. GATS, with its expansive network of collectors, sorters, recyclers, and manufacturers, will serve as the on-the-ground operational lead. Enviu will drive innovation pilots, impact monitoring, and long-term business model development for the hub.
“We’re proud to announce a new milestone for the Denim Deal Foundation: launching our India hub in collaboration with GATS and Enviu. India offers a unique opportunity to lead the way in fashion circularity, with its large market, advanced recycling tech, and strong denim industry. We hope India becomes a global model for sustainability and inspires other countries to follow suit.”
Nicolas Prophte, Board Member, Denim Deal.
“Our members across India are already recovering and processing textile waste. The India Hub gives us the structure to scale those efforts and deliver certified recycled materials trusted by international brands.”
Parvinder Singh, Founder, GATS.
“At Enviu, we have been working on making post-consumer waste a viable resource. Two critical components of scaling those efforts are – more demand activation and enabling alignment across the textiles value-chain. Through the Denim Deal, we aim to create a common bridge for circularity in the denim industry.”
Devansh Peshin, Regional Program Manager, Enviu.
What the Hub Enables
The India Hub offers value chain actors a structured path to circularity:
- Brands gain access to verified recycled fibres, impact tracking tools, and ready-to-launch circular collections.
- Recyclers and mills receive training, certification pathways, and entry to higher-value markets.
- Retailers and manufacturers can participate in pilots, develop capsule collections, and implement credible take-back and reuse programs.
- Tech providers offering traceability, digital ID, or LCA/DPP tools can integrate with the hub to support end-to-end transparency.
What’s Next
Initial activation includes a joint campaign, a learning session on PCR cotton for Indian supply chain actors, and an open call for pilot projects with interested brands and suppliers. An annual report detailing impact and learnings will follow in mid-2026.
