The circular economy model, which aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible via recycling, reuse, and recovery, is gaining traction in India’s textile value chain.
Unlike linear systems that generate significant waste, circularity seeks to minimise environmental impact by reintegrating materials at every stage of production.
This approach is already visible in the sector’s waste management statistics. Of the estimated 7.8 million tons of textile waste handled annually, over 90% originates from domestic sources, including both factory scrap and discarded consumer goods.
Impressively, more than 70% of this waste is recovered for recycling, upcycling, or reuse, with the pre-consumer segment seeing nearly 95% collection and reintegration into production cycles.
The spinning sector, in particular, demonstrates closed-loop processes, where almost all spinning waste is reused within the same facilities.
Post-consumer textile waste is also being actively diverted from landfills, with around 55% processed through extensive sorting and collection networks.
This ecosystem not only curbs environmental harm but supports the livelihoods of approximately 4 to 4.5 million individuals, many of whom are women from marginalized groups who play vital roles in waste collection and sorting.
Several local initiatives have emerged as models for circular textile management in India. In Navi Mumbai, the Belapur Municipal Textile Recovery Facility stands out as the country’s first municipal-level circular textile hub.
Since its inception, it has collected 30 metric tons of post-consumer textile waste, sorted 25.5 metric tons, processed over 41,000 items, and developed more than 400 upcycled samples.
“The project has reached over 114,000 families and provided market access for women artisans,” Economic Times reported.
Panipat, in Haryana, has developed into a leading downstream recycling center. The cluster processes between 3,500 and 5,250 tons per day of pre-consumer textile waste, supporting a range of activities from collection and sorting to knitting and recycling.
This concentration of expertise positions Panipat as a potential leader in advanced textile-to-textile recycling.
Delhi’s Mongolpuri area, home to the Katran Market, exemplifies the role of informal networks. Here, waste handlers collect and sort cutting waste from across North India, segregating materials by colour and type before supplying over 10 tons per day to formal recycling hubs like Panipat.
These linkages highlight the importance of integrating informal and formal systems to maximise the benefits of circularity.
Image courtesy: Collect My Clothes
