Producing a comprehensive strategy to build a sustainable textile industry: Piyush Goyal

Envisioned with an aim to encourage sustainable clothing and textile recycling in India, the Recommerce Sustainable Clothing & Textile Recycling Conference 2022 held in Coimbatore was the coming together of different stakeholders in a circular economy, upscaling, sustainable clothing, textile recycling and reuse.

The mission of the conference got a major boost with the presence of the Union Minister of Textile Piyush Goyal through video-conferencing and Joint Secretary Ministry of Textile Prajakta Verma IAS.

Speaking to over 55 companies participating at the conference, Piyush Goyal through video-conferencing stated that it is time for the Indian textile industry to make a significant push to promote sustainable textiles by recycling clothing materials.

He further informed that the textile recycling industry is primarily found in the United States, the European Union, and China. “India does not properly use a large part of the waste that is generated in the textile sector. Sadly, such waste goes to landfills and often gets incinerated for energy production instead of being recycled or reprocessed. However, we have a tremendous opportunity to become the source of sustainable apparel by taking into account the pre-and-post consumer textile waste,” Goyal added.

He also suggested that the textile units collaborate to accelerate development in areas such as textile recycling, upcycling, and creating sustainable fashion products for a sustainable future. He noted that the use of sustainable textiles is growing in the hospitality, tourism, construction, automobile industry, sports, home decor, footwear, medical, and other similar fields.

Savio Rodrigues, Founder and CEO, Kianna Media Ventures appealed to the Union Minister to encourage the government offices to use eco-friendly products in other to encourage sustainable products and services companies to focus on eco-friendly products. He opined that it serves no purpose for the government if the government talks about sustainability but does itself procure or promote eco-friendly products in its offices or institutions.

In her session, Prajakta Verma IAS praised the conference organizers for their initiative and urged the delegates to express their concerns, questions and suggestions in order for the government to develop policies to encourage the sustainable clothing and textile recycling industry in India. Delegates at the event raised concerns over the urgent need for the government to start promoting sustainable products in government offices. They also suggested labelling the products differently so that consumers have a choice and know whether they are purchasing a sustainable product or not.

The Recommerce conference was inaugurated by the Guest of Honor, K Nalini, Joint Secretary, Environmental Engineering & Pollution Control; Savio Rodrigues, Founder & CEO, Kianna Media Ventures and Venkat Patil Reddy, Founder, Recommerce.

Venkat Patil Reddy expressed, “Any event or any platform is to enhance reach, influence consumer behavioural patterns, perceptions formed by the textile industries, and consumer behaviour. The entire system is what we’re attempting to teach. To have a greater impact, it is hoped that the Center will also begin using eco-friendly items.”

Sudhakaran Kalidas, Vice Chairman – Technical, Veerapandi Common Effluent Treatment Plant Limited, speaking on ‘Textile effluent monitoring India: mandates and compliance’ advised the delegates to reduce water usage, almost 11 million water wastes are processed. “The world is in your clothes; use textile for necessities, not for fancy.”

Sudarshan Rajagopalan, managing partner, Splendor Medicare Technologies touched on the issues of pollution due to textile manufacturing, the need for the plastic ban and poisons polluting water bodies.

Saikat Mishra, Creative Director, Van Heusen SVP Designer, ABFRL discussed concepts in sustainable clothing, merchandising and communication to promote sustainable clothing and textile recycling products.

The Recommerce Conference also had panel discussions on different focus areas related to sustainable clothing and textile recycling. Delegates from the panel discussion had the opportunity to learn and understand solutions and ideas for the sustainable clothing business.

First-panel discussion aimed at textile policy in a detailed overview. The panel consisted of Dileep Singh Yadav Deputy General Manager SBI (state bank of India), Savio Rodrigues Founder & CEO Kianna Media Ventures, Vishnu M Senior Manager-Guidance Tamil Nadu Govt, Venkat Reddy Patil Founder & CEO Udhva Management & Recommerce. Second and third-panel discussions aimed at ‘Indian textile recycling market, trends, facts, growth, employment, challenges, opportunities’ comprising speaker’s expert in their fields, Ashok Chakravathi Owner-Palyam Textiles, Anil Chowdary Managing Director GreenWaves Env. Solutions, Renjini Liza Varghese, Sudarsan Rajagopalan Managing Partner Splendor Medicare Technologies, Dr Harleen Sahni Associate Professor NIFT, Ruchita Chhabra Country Programs Manager- The Sourcery, Ramanuj Mitra Senior Programme Officer Centre for Responsible Business.