ReFiber is confronting India’s mounting textile waste through a countrywide recovery push.
The scheme, unveiled at an online stakeholder gathering, unites trade bodies and charitable organisations to boost awareness and forge more accessible routes for the collection, reuse and upcycling of discarded clothing.
The drive, titled ‘Freedom from Unused Garments’, allows members of the public to organise doorstep collections of unwanted clothing via ReFiber’s digital platform.
Supported by Tisser Artisan Trust, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), UNIDO and Lions International, the alliance seeks to reshape consumption patterns and champion circularity across the textile trade.
Textile Commissioner, Vrunda Desai, who was present at the launch, stated: “India produces roughly 70 lakh tonnes of textile waste each year, with almost 58% emerging post-consumer. Every discarded garment carries valuable resources including the fibre, water, energy, chemicals, transport and human effort embedded within it.”
“I genuinely commend the ReFiber initiative, which grants citizens a straightforward digital platform to arrange doorstep collection of unused garments. There’s no need to travel anywhere. You simply press a button and book the collection of your unused garments.”
ReFiber has additionally called on the Ministry of Textiles to assist in linking its platform with upcyclers nationwide.
Via its Upcycler Marketplace, the firm intends to provide a dedicated space for recycled and upcycled goods, backing small enterprises and craftspeople.
Tisser Artisan Trust founder Dr Megha Phansalkar urged a shift in how discarded textiles are viewed.
“Let’s consider how we might treat our garments, destined for disposal, not as waste material but as raw material for the next stage of their journey,” she said.
CMAI president Santosh Katariya highlighted the social and environmental benefits of the drive. “Rather than garments winding up in landfills, we can reclaim them through collection, recycling and upcycling,” he said, further noting the scheme’s capacity to empower women within the recycling economy,” he stated.
UNIDO national project coordinator Dr Pankaj Kumar flagged the requirement for financially viable solutions by saying that whenever development is discussed, sustainability and the financial model must be considered together,” he said, noting that successful regional trials could shape nationwide rollout.
OterRi and ReFiber COO Manoj Wanvari urged stronger infrastructure to underpin circularity.
Wanvari said: “We would ask that you examine the ReTuna model in Sweden. ReTuna stands as the world’s first recycling mall, where every item sold is recycled, reused, or has been produced organically or sustainably.”
He proposed that establishing comparable facilities in India, backed by government support, could help strengthen a circular economy.
“The Freedom from Unused Garments scheme falls alongside India’s 80th Independence Day milestones,” Just Style Reported.
The campaign had already gathered around 42 collection requests through the ReFiber app at the point of launch, with public interest expanding organically.
Image courtesy: 15285612 By Freepik
