Fashion Recycling Technologies Gaining Ground in Bangalore
The fashion industry looks glamorous from the outside. However, it is suffering from an enormous waste problem. Did you know? Every year tonnes of textile waste are either ending up in landfills or getting burnt. In the bargain, harmful emissions are emitted into the environment. Thus, sustainable fashion and recycling has become the need of the hour. Even in most fashion and apparel design courses, emphasis is given on recycling. Students are taught how to create new garments using fabric remnants.
Bangalore is home to over 400 textile industries thereby producing 20 percent of India’s textiles. Owing to this, the city’s textile waste has touched alarming numbers. And the sad part is that less than one percent of this waste is recyclable.
Tech innovations and fashion recycling technologies are solving this problem one garment at a time. It’s not just a breakthrough for the fashion industry but also critical for closing the loop in the fashion industry.
Recycling 101
Today, textile fibre can be recycled in two ways namely mechanical and chemical. In mechanical recycling, material is turned into a near fibrous form and then re-spun. The only drawback in this method is that shredding shortens the fibre and weakens the strength. To ensure they get back to its original strength, they are mixed with virgin fibres. To overcome these challenges, a lot of textile manufacturers have switched to chemical recycling.
In chemical recycling, the material is depolymerised into monomer components. The raw material is then retrieved to produce new filaments. These are then transformed into yarns and fabrics. The beauty about chemically recycled fibres is that the quality even after recycling is same as virgin fibres. It can be recycled plenty of times without losing quality.
Now that you’re aware what fashion recycling entails, let’s look at emerging technologies that are gaining a strong foothold in Bangalore to combat the problem of textile waste.
Notable Developments in Fashion Recycling Technologies in Bangalore
Bengaluru Waste Pickers’ Textile Recycling Initiative
As the name implies, this initiative empowers waste-pickers in Bangalore to participate in textile recycling. It is supported by H&M Foundation’s Saamuhika Shakti program. It is based on the circular textile waste model. The initiative aims at promoting inclusive circularity and improving the livelihood of waste-pickers. The two partners in this program are Stichting Enviu Nederland (Enviu) and Intellecap’s Circular Apparel Innovation Factory. Textile waste is collected, sorted and sold to waste-pickers to generate revenue. The program also contributes to a larger multi-layer textile-recycling program across India. This not just integrates a social perspective, but also ensures waste pickers across the country are part of the recycling process.
Sorting for Circularity India Project
Fashion for Good launched the Sorting for Circularity India Project in 2021. The aim was to understand both pre- and post-consumer textile waste generated in India, and then offer sorting and mapping solutions. Further, the project aims to build an infrastructure towards greater circularity in the coming years. A few industry players who have collaborated with them on this project are Arvind Textiles, Welspun India and Birla Cellulose. They aim at enhancing the recycling process and making India a leading next-gen solutions hub.
Tikau Fashion
H&M in association with Bal Raksha Bharat launched Tikau Fashion, an initiative to promote circular economy principles in Bangalore. The key features of this program are waste reduction, youth empowerment and community education. By turning textile waste into high-quality new products, the environmental footprint of the textile industry is considerably reduced. Also, through the initiative, the youth is made to feel empowered. They are involved in the creation of eco-friendly products which further teaches them skills in design, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Unlike traditional linear models, a circular economy focuses on recycling, reusing and remanufacturing.
Stylumia
Though Stylumia is not directly involved in textile recycling, they play their part in contributing to more sustainable fashion practices. It is a SaaS company that uses artificial intelligence and analytical tools to predict trends and demand. They help brands see what’s beyond the horizon in the market.
Conclusion
These are just a few initiatives based in Bangalore that are helping in the entire fashion recycling lifecycle. They not just promote sustainability within the fashion industry but also ensure textile waste generated is less and minimised. Besides these initiatives, there are also a few patented fashion recycling technologies such as CuRe, Worn Again, Infinited Fiber Company, Ambercell and Renewcell. The aim of all these technologies is to scale-up textile recycling. A Master’s in Fashion Design Management will help you learn more about recycling in the textile industry.
