: Mumbai, October 12, 2022

The Textiles Committee (TC) of Government of India has entered into a Cooperation Agreement with United Nations Environment Programme on “Mainstreaming Sustainability & Circularity in the Textiles Sector” to minimize the negative environmental impacts of the Indian textile industry by promoting sustainable practices where these exist and mainstreaming knowledge of circular production best practices in the textile and apparel sector. As part of this agreement, TC with the collaboration and support from UNEP will evolve campaign collaterals and campaign strategy, undertake campaign launch event and organise conference to build capacity of the Textile Value Chain on this important aspects in addition to undertaking social media campaign to raise awareness on Sustainability & Circularity in TVC.

The Cooperation Agreement was exchanged between the Secretary of Textiles Committee Ajit B Chavan and Head of UNEP India Country Office Atul Bagai in presence of Secretary (Textiles) U.P. Singh.
A one-day Stakeholders Consultation on “Sustainability in the Textile Value Chain (TVC) in India” was also organized last week (on 7^th October 2022) in New Delhi to commemorate the World Cotton Day. Ms. Prajakta Verma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles & other national and international stakeholders including UN Resident Coordinator in India, Ms. Shombi Sharp, UNIDO, ILO, GIZ officials during exchange of agreement between the two parties.

It may be noted here that the Textile Value Chain (TVC) plays an important role in the world economy but at the same time is also adversely contributing towards environment. According to estimates, the global textile industry emits 1.20 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year and it is estimated that every second an equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is either burnt or land filled. Hence, it is difficult to visualise a sustainable world without sustainable fashion industry. As a major player in the Textiles and Apparel sector, India is also experiencing the challenge of balancing its growth in TVC with sustainability in production & consumption of textiles.

Though attempts have been made in past to attain sustainability in its value Chain, there is a need to address the issues of sustainability and circularity in the Textiles sector more holistically and in a focused and institutionalized manner if India has to achieve its leadership role in the sector in this environmentally conscious market. Keeping the above factors in mind, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) India and Textiles Committee have joined hand to support the Textile, Trade & Industry on this endeavor with proactive support and guidance of Ms. Prajakta Verma, Joint Secretary Fibre who is heading the newly created Sustainability Cell in the Ministry of Textiles.

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Source: Textiles Committee/SC/PM

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