The Indian Ministry of Textiles has strongly rebuffed a recent CNN International report on textile recycling in India and termed it as selective and misleading and does not represent the sector’s regulatory framework. realities and sustainability efforts.
In a report published earlier this month on the textile recycling industry in Panipat, CNN claimed that the city has become a main destination for used clothing from various countries.
The report cited environmental concerns like dust exposure, occupational health risks for workers, pollution from untreated wastewater associated with recycling processing global textile waste.
In a press release, the Indian Textile Ministry said, “While isolated instances of non-compliance may arise in any industrial ecosystem, broad characterization of India’s textile sector as environmentally negligent or structurally exploitative is misleading, selective, and not representative of the ongoing regulatory strengthening, technology adoption and sustainability-focused interventions being undertaken across the country.”
At the outset, it may be noted that India possesses one of the world’s largest textile recovery and recycling networks, supported by long-established value chains for reuse, repair, recycling and repurposing of textile materials.
Unlike several countries where textile waste is predominantly landfilled, a substantial proportion of textile waste in India is recovered through formal and informal systems and channelised towards secondary use, fibre recovery, industrial reuse, and allied applications.
Evidence base on textile waste in India consistently indicates a significantly higher level of material recovery than is often perceived. As per the “Mapping of Textile Waste Value Chain in India” study, 2026, Ministry of Textiles, India generates approximately 7,073 kilo tons of textile waste annually, comprising both pre-consumer and post-consumer streams.
The study also highlights that pre-consumer textile waste generated during manufacturing processes demonstrates significantly high recovery rates; of the total pre-consumer waste, nearly 97% is recycled, indicating a high degree of material circularity already embedded within domestic manufacturing systems.
The report somewhat inaccurately suggests that India serves primarily as a “dumping ground” for Western fast-fashion waste. Data from the above-mentioned report highlights that the Indian recycling industry is predominantly driven by domestic needs.
Of the approximately 7.8 million tons of textile waste managed annually, over 90% is sourced from domestic pre-consumer (factory scrap) and post-consumer waste. Imported post-consumer waste accounts for only approximately 7% of the total volume and is strictly regulated under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
This imported waste consists primarily of second-hand clothing and mutilated rags, largely traced through harmonised system codes. This stream is more formalized and flows primarily into the recycling and sorting ecosystem.
The FICCI report “Unlocking Value from India’s Textile Waste: A Roadmap for Circularity in the Textile Sector” further notes that India’s textile waste ecosystem currently generates an estimated economic value of Rs 22,000 crore annually, with significant additional potential through improved sorting, segregation, and higher-value recycling pathways.
Further, India’s reuse and repair culture has traditionally delivered significantly lower per capita textile consumption and waste generation compared to developed nations. These assessments underscore that textile recycling in India is not merely a waste management activity, but an important contributor to livelihoods, resource efficiency, and secondary material value creation.
It is also pertinent to note that textile recycling in India is not confined to isolated units but is supported by specialised industrial ecosystems developed over several decades in clusters such as Panipat, Tiruppur, Ludhiana, Surat and other textile centres.
Panipat, which is frequently referenced in media narratives, has evolved into one of major textile recycling hubs globally, processing substantial quantities of woollen and blended textile waste and supporting significant downstream employment and economic activity.
Broader portrayal of Indian textile recycling industry also overlooks the substantial progress made by organised and export-oriented recyclers in adopting environmentally responsible and worker-safe practices.
India’s textile recycling ecosystem is rapidly moving beyond conventional mechanical recycling towards cutting-edge chemical recycling technologies capable of recovering fibres at the molecular level and enabling true textile-to-textile circularity.
Multiple textile units have invested in advanced recycling technologies, dust extraction systems, zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) wastewater treatment, and renewable energy integration. Tiruppur’s textile cluster, in particular, is globally recognised for its near-universal adoption of ZLD systems in dyeing and processing units, demonstrating India’s capability to implement high environmental standards at scale.
In several states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Haryana, textile units are increasingly transitioning towards sustainable and resource-efficient manufacturing practices through adoption of low-liquor dyeing technologies, advanced water recycling systems, digital process monitoring mechanisms, and energy-efficient processing infrastructure aimed at reducing environmental footprint and improving operational efficiency.
Ministry of Textiles remains committed to supporting a globally competitive, environmentally responsible, and socially inclusive textile sector aligned with India’s broader objectives of sustainable growth, resource efficiency, and circular economy.
Image courtesy: H&M Foundation
