Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF) is partnering with Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) to develop a Circular Apparel Policy Innovation Lab with support from the Laudes Foundation. The lab will act as an engagement platform that bridges the gap between central and state level policy makers and industry actors such as brands, suppliers, input providers, innovators, associations, academia/experts, at the state and national levels. It aims to generate insights for informing policy development to support the transition of India’s textile and apparel industry towards circularity.
As a part of this initiative, the lab aims to facilitate open dialogues between the above-mentioned range of industry actors across key textile and apparel clusters in India by conducting four regional design thinking workshops. The workshops will help develop ideas and concepts for circular economy policy interventions incorporating ground realities through a bottom-up process into an otherwise centrally anchored policy framework.
On 19th February 2020, CAIF and CRB facilitated one such regional workshop in Bangalore, Karnataka. The workshop was attended by 26 participants representing brands, manufacturers, government, circular model innovators and enablers, who discussed the strengths and gaps associated with Karnataka’s recently announced New Textile & Garment Policy 2019-2024. Adopting a design thinking approach, the workshop helped surface a set of insights and inputs for incorporating circular economy policy interventions across five key areas – a) new and recycled material usage, b) circular design of apparels, c) management of waste, d) water recycling and usage reduction and e) use of renewable energy in garment manufacturing.
Five areas for incorporating circular economy policy interventions
The workshop helped identify five key areas for incorporating circular economy policy interventions. The participants assessed current trends, challenges and pain points associated with each of the five areas and arrived at a set of inputs for policy interventions.
- New and recycled material usage: The workshop explored the potential role of new and recycled materials in garment production. Uptake of such materials is currently impeded by lack of awareness, concerns about material quality and limited supply chains —– aspects that potential policy interventions should aim to address.
- Circular design of apparels: Stakeholders at the workshop deliberated on the role of policy in promoting the integration of circularity in the apparel design process itself, covering aspects such as material mix, energy, equipment and focus on research and development.
- Management of waste: Stakeholders delved deeper into the type of policy support that can be extended towards improving textile waste management, with a particular emphasis on pre-consumer waste generation and utilization.
- Water recycling and usage reduction: The workshop explored potential policy measures for promoting water recycling and reduction of water usage, specifically from the standpoint of manufacturing units. The need for affordable access of quality water was identified as the key existing challenge that policy should address.
- Use of renewal energy in garment manufacturing: Stakeholders discussed the potential for renewable energy use in the garment manufacturing process and the need for a stable renewable energy policy.
