Navi Mumbai emerges India’s first City to launch post-consumer Textile Upcycling Project
Navi Mumbai emerges India’s first City to launch post-consumer Textile Upcycling Project
As per an official, under the initiative led by the Textile Committee of the Government of India, discarded clothes will be collected, processed, and upcycled into new products, promoting sustainability and employment generation.
Through this project, handloom techniques will be used to upcycle discarded garments into new products, which will be showcased in markets for sale, with women’s self-help groups playing an active role.
NMMC has collaborated with SBI Foundation Ltd., IDH India Hub Pvt. Ltd., and Tisser Artisan Trust. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed among these organizations.
“The initiative was officially inaugurated on October 11, 2024, by the then Chief Minister.
An official informs that the project also received special recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a national event in New Delhi.
With the fast-changing fashion trends leading to increased textile waste, this initiative aims to create a sustainable system for managing used clothes, converting waste into valuable products while also generating employment opportunities for artisans, particularly empowering women.
Officials entrusted with the project informed that as part of the first phase, 250 housing societies in Navi Mumbai will be equipped with special collection bins for used clothing.
As of now,
49 bins have been installed across 47 societies, with further expansion planned. The collected textiles will be transported using dedicated vehicles and processed at the Textile Recycling Center set up in CBD Belapur,” explained the official.
Residents have been asked to participate in the initiative by depositing their usable discarded garments in the designated collection bins or at nearby 3R Centers.
According to Municipal Commissioner Kailas Shinde, the project will not only reduce the burden on landfills but also create new employment opportunities, making it a model for sustainable textile waste management in India.
News Edit KV Raman
