India, being the second-largest textile exporter in the world, is currently standing at a crossroads. Our $165 billion fashion industry has exposed us to increasing environmental costs primarily due to our “take-make-dispose” model. However, this challenge also gives us an extraordinary opportunity. India has the potential to become a global fashion leader, transforming its waste into wealth and also preserving its rich textile heritage.
The wake-up call
India is known to have a staggering environmental footprint when it comes to the fashion industry. Textile production consumes billions of litres of water annually. Plus, our rivers suffer from pollution due to the release of toxic chemical waste as an end product of the dyeing and finishing processes. Also, you cannot ignore the millions of tons of textile waste that ends up in landfills. Here, the synthetic fibres take centuries to decompose. The rise of fast fashion has only accelerated consumption, which has compounded India’s environmental costs, including depleted resources, polluted waterways, and surging carbon emissions.
The circular economy provides a radically different scenario. It encourages designing out waste, regenerating natural systems, and retaining materials in use. In India’s context, this is not just an environmental necessity, but it’s an economic opportunity.
Sustainable fibres
India boasts of ancient expertise in natural fibres. This gives us an upper hand in sustainable textile leadership. Our vast production of organic hemp, cotton, jute, and silk is unmatchable anywhere in the world. These renewable and biodegradable fabrics are in high demand across the global fashion circuit. We need to invest in organic farming practices and the production of innovative materials like lotus silk, banana fibre, and pineapple leather so that India can reclaim its position as a powerhouse of sustainable fibre.
We should aim to introduce government-backed programs for organic certification, combined with partnerships between fashion brands and farmers. This can act as a catalyst in creating field-to-garment sustainable supply chains.
Recycling revolution
India has a long history of textile recycling, where small businesses and rag pickers in small towns have transformed waste into usable materials. Implementing advanced technology to formalise and scale these sectors can unlock massive potential.
Additionally, using chemical and mechanical recycling technologies can convert post-consumer textiles back into fibre. This will help reduce reliance on virgin materials. Encouraging startup innovations in fibre-to-fibre recycling in combination with traditional craftsmanship can get India recognition as a global recycling forum.
Slow fashion
India’s age-old handicraft and handloom traditions embody slow fashion principles. They signify quality over quantity, timeless design, and human connection. India is home to over 4 million handloom weavers, and both Gen-Z and millennials are now inclining towards authentic and sustainable fashion options. This proves that India’s artisanal sector, if backed by proper government initiatives and ambitious entrepreneurs, can boom in the next decade.
Fashion waste management
Effective waste management needs systematic change. India must invest in collection infrastructure for post-consumer textiles, sorting materials that separate materials by fibre type, and processing plants that transform waste into new products or raw materials.
We can encourage public-private partnerships that can establish take-back programs where brands collect old garments. Tax incentives for companies using recycled materials would accelerate adoption.
Now that we know that India has immense untapped potential in circular fashion, we should encourage strategic investments in sustainable infrastructure. Both our government and industrialists should focus on leveraging our traditional practices and innovation to lead India’s global shift toward regenerative fashion.
