In a first, textiles ministry to give platform to showcase circular items

For the first time, textiles ministry will provide a platform to women-led startups to showcase circular products -- which are largely based on textile waste-- at an exhibition next week

For the first time, the textiles ministry will provide a platform to women-led startups to showcase circular products -- which are largely based on textile waste -- pre or post consumption-- at an exhibition next week.

As part of the International Women's Day celebration, the ministry of textiles is organising a week-long celebratory programme at Handloom Haat, Janpath, New Delhi.

"As the consumers especially in developed markets are becoming more and more discerning and conscious of their carbon footprint and the environmental impact as an industry, we would also have to gear up," textiles secretary Rachna Shah said.

Another textile ministry official observed that internationally there is a movement towards circular economy and lifestyle. Circularity in textiles is also catching up especially with new regulations coming in from the EU and US.

"Most of our export obligations are covered by circularity. We find that many women-led startups have ventured into schemes where they take post consumer waste and try and convert it into new products so waste gets back into production cycle and we retain the value of the product for a longer time," said the official.

She added that based on the new trend the ministry is looking at women-led startups and giving them an opportunity through the exhibition to showcase their products.

"This is the first time that the ministry is venturing into giving a platform for circular products which are largely based on textile waste - pre or post consumer," said the official.

EU has already declared its roadmap for circular textiles and it is going to kick in from 2025.

In this 75th year of India's independence, 75 stalls will be put up by women handloom weavers, craft persons, entrepreneurs, designers. Many of these are master craft persons and national awardees and women-founded/led organisations.

Circularity in textiles aims to shift from the take-make-dispose linear value chain into a circular system where value is retained for a longer period.

Circularity in fashion underlines a major gender narrative by including women at the centre of the transformation.

"To honour and motivate such change makers across the value chain, special focus is on circular strategies, processes and end products that go beyond the traditional linear model and focus on extending the life of the product," an official statement said.

"Invitees are women-founded/led organisations who are focused on reducing waste in the value stream by employing different circular strategies like recycle, repair, reuse/remanufacture, rental and resale," it added.