Leveraging traditional practices for a sustainable textile future
This is the right time for India to make sustainability its core strength by manufacturing products that can be recycled and repurposed to have multiple lifecycles, says Rajeev Gupta.
Going back several millennia, textiles have been considered one of the oldest industries globally. It’s worth noting that the Industrial Revolution emerged with mechanised spinning and weaving, which transformed the textile industry, leading to the advent of modern manufacturing practices.
Human needs, employment and economic growth
Centuries later, textiles remain a key contributor to national growth. Many nations began their industrial journey by transitioning from imports of textiles to the domestic production of fabrics. Nations such as Vietnam and Bangladesh recorded accelerated economic growth after textile manufacturing became a key part of their economies. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs emphasises the importance of clothing as part of people’s basic requirements, making textiles an intrinsic component of human well-being.
Worldwide, textiles rank among the largest employers. In India, more than 45 million people are employed directly and 100 million indirectly in the textile industry, second only to agriculture. However, the industry now confronts a novel threat due to climate change.
India’s longstanding tradition of sustainability
In India, sustainability has always been a part of life. Traditionally, Indian culture has taught people to respect resources, using and reusing them carefully. For example, clothes being passed on from elder to younger siblings was a normal practice that ensured every garment enjoyed an extended lifespan. Even wedding suits, sarees and lehengas were passed from one generation to another, used and reused with love as part of a cultural heritage.
Families even bartered their old clothes with the ‘bartanwala’ for new utensils, ensuring the fabrics had years of extended use. The practice of exchanging old garments for new utensils still prevails in tier 2 cities and beyond. Every piece of clothing was first worn as a brand-new garment, then reused at home as casual wear or nightwear. Later, a garment was converted into a quilt, duster or household cleaning cloth. Ultimately, it would end up as a swabbing rag before being finally discarded, faded and torn.
Institutionalising the textile value chain
In essence, India always had an informal textile value chain ranging from ‘bartanwalas’ to ragpickers and ‘chor bazaars’ where used clothes were sold. Today, the challenge lies in industrialising this value chain for scale, quality and traceability. Downcycling or shredding fabric into yarn reduces the overall length of fibres. Therefore, the real task lies in creating technologies that retain fibre quality so that recycling does not compromise its value. Believe it or not, even today India imports tonnes of old garments from the US and Europe for recycling – a paradoxical practice as ample amounts of textile waste are generated within the country. Accordingly, it is critical to establish a well-structured domestic collection ecosystem.
Potential as a pre-owned fashionwear processing hub
The global resale/thrift market is projected to reach $300 billion by 2030, recording a CAGR of 14-20 per cent. Given its reuse culture and young, price-sensitive consumer cohorts who are increasingly receptive to pre-owned garments, India is primed to be a major contributor to this market. As global fashion brands announce sustainability targets, the recycling industry is gathering momentum. Given its scale and expertise, India could act as a processing hub for pre-owned fashionwear.
Despite its inherent culture rooted in circularity and sustainability, India has failed to clearly articulate this ethos to the world at large. As a result, the West has often imposed its standards and directives, although India’s practices are intrinsically more sustainable. For instance, research reveals that up to 20 per cent of garments are worn only once in the West before being discarded. Conversely, almost 80 per cent of Indian households reuse clothing in several lifecycles, such as quilts, hand-me-downs and cleaning cloths. Keeping this in mind, the country must communicate its sustainable practices clearly to emerge as a global leader in sustainable textiles rather than being a mere participant.
Promoting the sustainability ethos
Global brands such as GAP, H&M and M&S have successfully championed sustainable practices and built strong reputations by producing and selling responsibly. There is no reason why Indian brands cannot do the same with equal success. Earlier, recycled or sustainable clothes were expected to be cheaper. Today, consumers are willing to pay a premium to support sustainability, emphasising the immense shift in perception.
A McKinsey report notes that 67 per cent of consumers state that sustainability is a decisive factor in their fashion choices. Similarly, a PwC survey found that 90 per cent of people are willing to pay around 10 per cent more for sustainable products. A World Bank report states that a global shift to sustainable textiles could curb emissions by 1.2 billion tonnes annually. Not surprisingly, India’s Textile Policy 2024 promotes low-carbon technologies, green manufacturing and circular practices. For textile brands in India, this is a clear sign of where the industry is headed. Naturally, early adopters stand to benefit the most.
Programmes to transition from a linear to the circular model
Statistics show that the country generates 8.5 per cent of global textile waste. This makes a shift from a linear to the circular model a need of the hour. Fortunately, 59 per cent of textile waste is either reused or recycled, highlighting the huge domestic opportunity. Consequently, sustainability is being embedded across the entire textile value chain. Garments are designed for recycling, while waste streams are captured efficiently and recycling processes are improved to boost global supply chains.
In the on-going drive towards circularity, the Textile Ministry intends to create a pan-India Textile Recycling Ecosystem. The groundwork for this national infrastructure will be laid with a pilot project in Navi Mumbai. A Circular Textile Waste Project in Tamil Nadu is poised to build a scalable model for waste collection, sorting and recycling, while empowering informal waste workers with training and inclusive practices. Here, the promise of circularity lies in ensuring that nothing is wasted while resources flow in loops with products designed for second and third lives.
This is the right time for India to make sustainability its core strength by manufacturing products that can be recycled and repurposed to have multiple lifecycles. In the current scenario of tariffs and a volatile, changing global order, supporting sustainability programmes will provide a fillip to the national mission of Atmanirbharta or self-reliance, even as the country moves steadily towards its Viksit Bharat by 2047 vision and emerges as a global leader in sustainable textiles.
About the author:
Rajeev Gupta serves as the Joint Managing Director (JMD) of RSWM, the flagship company of the LNJ Bhilwara Group and one of India’s largest textile manufacturers. With over 30 years of extensive experience across the textile, home textile, and pulp & paper industries, Gupta is renowned for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive transformative business growth.
