Sorting for Circularity India: Pre-Consumer Pilot
The Sorting for Circularity India Pre-Consumer Pilot aimed to organise the Indian textile waste market by establishing a circular economy that maximises value recovery from textile waste. This pilot addressed pre-consumer waste (factory floor cutting waste) and aimed to demonstrate a 360° closed-loop system, where factory waste is segregated, digitally traced, and then processed by recyclers to produce new fibres, which are returned to the production chain. The initiative sought to enhance transparency, traceability, and efficiency in India’s textile waste management system.
Problem Statement
India’s textile industry produces significant amounts of pre-consumer waste, yet this waste remains underutilised due to inefficiencies in segregation, digital traceability, and recycling infrastructures. As a result, much of the waste is not properly valorised, leading to economic and environmental inefficiencies. There is a need to build scalable solutions that allow the recycling of textile waste back into production and create value for all stakeholders.
Executive Summary
The Sorting for Circularity India Pre-Consumer Pilot, a collaborative effort between Fashion for Good and Reverse Resources, sought to streamline India’s textile waste management by demonstrating a circular value chain for post-industrial waste. The pilot digitally traced factory waste from generation to recycling, showcasing the benefits of segregation and traceability in the textile supply chain. Over 84 tonnes of segregated waste were processed and traced in the pilot, offering brands visibility into their waste and recyclers access to high-quality feedstock. The results highlighted the potential for scaling circular textile practices in India, with waste successfully turned into new fibres, closing the loop in the production cycle.
Goals of the Project
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Demonstrate a 360° circular value chain for pre-consumer textile waste.
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Digitally trace textile waste from generation to recycling, ensuring transparency.
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Minimise the role of intermediaries to make recycling processes more efficient and cost-effective.
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Test business models to incentivise recycling and explore economic benefits for manufacturers, waste handlers and recyclers.
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Provide brands with visibility into the waste generated in their supply chains through the Reverse Resources platform.
Timeline
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Q2 2022
Manufacturers and recyclers onboarded to Reverse Resources platform
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Q3 2022
Waste segregated by type, composition and colour, data entered onto platform
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Q4 2022
Segregated waste matched to recyclers, pilot successfully traced 84 tonnes of waste, fostering brand partnerships and waste insights.
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Dec 2022
Project Close
Project Results
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Waste Processed: Approximately 84 tonnes of segregated textile waste were digitally traced and sent to recyclers during the pilot.
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Efficiency Gains: Direct relationships between manufacturers and recyclers reduced the need for intermediaries, streamlining the supply chain.
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Importance of Waste Handler network: Involving waste handlers in specific transactions was crucial for efficient utilisation, formalising the supply chain and enhancing traceability.
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Brand Visibility: Brands gained access to real-time data on their waste streams through the Reverse Resources platform, improving transparency and accountability.
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Business Models: Manufacturers, waste handlers and recyclers successfully tested new business models that demonstrated the economic benefits of segregation and recycling.
Brand Partners
Implementation Partners
Advisory Partners
Relevant Resources
Fashion for Good Launches The Sorting for Circularity India Project
Report Launch: Fashion Innovation Landscape in India
Sorting for Circularity India Toolkit Launched: Pioneering Partnership Sets India on Path to Next-Gen Textiles Leadeship
Wealth in Waste: India's Potential to Lead Circular Textile Sourcing
Other Projects
Fibre Club
Fashion for Good’s Fibre Club unites brands and innovators to fast-track the use of sustainable materials in the fashion sector. These partnerships offer brands early access to cutting-edge fibres, ensuring beneficial supply agreements and easier incorporation into their supply chains. Fibre Club aims to not only shift the cost structure but to help align brands in a very fragmented and competitive industry.
Advanced Processing Matrix
The Advanced Processing Matrix (APM) aims to continue Fashion for Good’s efforts to accelerate the shift from wet to mostly dry processing in the fashion industry by validating innovative textile processing technologies with potential to drive CO₂e reduction, alongside improvements in water and chemical usage. The tool serves as the knowledge resource for Future Forward Factories aiming to transform facilities into near Net-0.
Behind the Break
“Behind the Break,” is a project aimed at exploring textile fibre fragmentation. The research aims to identify the root causes of fibre shedding during manufacturing, enhance existing test methods, and inform future industry best practices and policies to reduce textile pollution. A report accompanies the project, providing an overview of existing knowledge gaps, recent developments, critical insights, and emerging opportunities for meaningful action within the fashion and textile industry.
