Dilip Guha ★ New Delhi : The garment industry generates significant waste including fabric scraps, dead stock, and unsold garments. Approximately two-thirds of total textiles are discarded and end up in landfills. From an Indian perspective, upcycling presents a viable and eco-friendly solution to the textile industry’s pressing waste management challenges. By transforming waste materials into new, higher-quality products, upcycling reduces the environmental impact of textile waste.
Standardization and certification can play a crucial role in promoting upcycling practices. Establishing clear guidelines and standards ensures consistency and quality in upcycled products, making them more acceptable and trustworthy to consumers. Certification can further enhance consumer confidence and encourage widespread adoption of upcycling. Government initiatives are vital in supporting upcycling practices and fostering sustainable development.
Policies and incentives aimed at promoting upcycling can motivate businesses to adopt eco-friendly practices. In summary, upcycling offers a sustainable solution to the textile industry’s waste management issues in India. Standardization, certification, and government initiatives are key factors in promoting upcycling practices, reducing waste, and supporting sustainable development.
In this regard, The Ministry of Textiles, through its statutory body, the Textiles Committee, has taken a significant step towards promoting sustainable practices in the Indian textile industry by providing certification to upcyclers.
The Ministry’s efforts are focused on encouraging the government and public sector to source upcycled products and to benefit all sectors of society, especially the many women involved in the industry at all levels, from entrepreneurs to rural SHG groups.
This initiative aims to tackle the growing issue of textile waste and promote Upcycling, the creative transformation of waste materials into products of equal or higher quality.
While the term upcycling might be relatively new, traditional Indian arts such as Kantha and Godhadi reflect how deeply it is rooted in the Indian tradition. This initiative, as well as Bharat Tex 2025, highlights the Ministry’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurial energy as well as the preservation and promotion of traditional Indian arts.
In an effort to increase the visibility of the certified upcyclers, the Secretary of Textiles launched a new dashboard at Bharat Tex 2025 on 17th Feb 2025, that showcases a state-wise list of registered upcyclers and provides access to their certification details.
This portal will serve as a valuable tool for ensuring the authenticity and legitimacy of upcycled products, offering greater outreach and recognition for these upcyclers.
Ms. Sujata, a well-known upcycler from West Bengal, and the first to be certified through this initiative, shared how the certification greatly helped in gaining wider recognition within the industry and beyond.
Ms. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles) emphasized the key benefits of upcycling and outlined the government’s resolve to support the growth of this sector further. She also highlighted the inclusion of upcycling in the Sustainability and Innovation Pavilion -called “Vastra Katha” at BharatTex 2025 with a dedicated platform to showcase their work and underscore the importance of sustainable practices in the textile industry.
The event was attended by distinguished dignitaries, including Joint Secretaries Ms. Prajakta L. Verma and Mr. Ajay Gupta. The gathering marked a significant moment in India’s efforts to promote sustainability and innovation in the textile sector.
For more information, please visit the official portal for upcycler registration and certification.
https://upcycle.trace-textiles.gov.in/
