Summary
The research and discussion regarding the need for transition to circular strategies and negative ecological and social impacts of existing practices have been widely on the records. Although the intensity of the problem is yet to reach many parts of the country, we have managed to identify the nature and scale of the problem and consequences if any action is taken. Considering the pace at which the current developments are going, the focus towards the solution is direly needed at this juncture. This case study focuses on analyzing the innovative solutions in various operations of the textile industry right from raw material procurement to end-of-life processing of textiles, a qualitative study by the Circular Apparel Innovation Factory. Through this research by CAIF, this case study aims to understand the materialization of the three core principles of circular economy: Designing out waste and pollution; keep products and materials in use; Regenerate natural systems.
Problem
While bringing awareness among various stakeholders regarding the significance of circular economy is crucial, it is also a time to act on the implementation and challenges associated with it. The textile industry in India has been widely established over the decades with well-known conventional procedures of various operations are put in place. So, when the circular economy principles are taken to the application level, there are certain challenges to overcome from the ground level. It is difficult to implement any new model and overhaul the existing practices. Hence the key here is to utilize the existing opportunities in all the operations, where there is an ease of applying a circular principle is at greater levels and adapt them to circularity.
The textile industry is fragmented in nature as it contains several operations, ranging from raw material procurement and processing to dyeing, printing, and finishing, to be carried out to obtain the finished product. So, the widely talked solution for circular textiles, extended producer responsibility for the downstream processing of the supply chain, is certainly not the only solution that would serve the purpose. Though it plays a critical role to close the loop, innovation is needed at diverse operations involved in the textile industry to mainstream the circular economy.
Solution
The initial step is to figure out the key operations to be dealt with when the principles are applied. Then, utilizing the opportunities in each operation, alterations have to be introduced that would facilitate the circularity. CAIF has identified 5 main operations in the textile industry over the upstream and downstream supply chains: Raw material procurement; Processing, dyeing, and finishing; Cut-make-trim; Retail and use; End-of-use. (CAIF, 2020)
Raw Materials
For the successful implementation of circular economy, circular value to the products must be added at the design stage itself. Raw materials with low embodied energy must be chosen, designed to eliminate waste and pollution, and are expected to hold the quality as long as possible along the cascades. Polyester and cotton account for majorly used fibers in India, which are widely known to carry huge environmental impacts. As the challenges associated with cotton production in terms of water consumption and emissions, sustainable alternatives such as stinging nettles, lotus stem, hemp, banana fiber, and agricultural waste are slowly gaining traction. Man-made cellulosic fibers also possess the quality of circularity, but at the cost of slaying down many trees. Many MMCF producers in India are being progressive by following the sustainable forestry practices by planting double the number of trees than they are cutting down thereby creating a positive ecological impact. Canopy, an initiative of sustainable production of MMCF engages with 85% of the producers ensuring the carbon-neutral and ecological positive impact (Canopy, 2020). The innovative solutions in the production of animal-based fibers such as water-based silk solutions for the mechanical extrusion of fibers minimizing the usage of water and energy. Spintex, a UK-based textile, produces the best quality silk with the application of this technology, enabling efficient and sustainable production of silk filaments. (Spintex, 2020)
Processing, Dyeing and Finishing
Pretreatment, modern synthetic dyeing, finishing treatments, and wet processing are pretty effective but they are also heavily polluting by means of contaminating water, resisting biodegradation, hazardous chemicals, and hazardous toxic waste. They also account for affecting human health as only very few of the chemicals which are in use have gone through screening for human health. One of the sustainable approaches for pretreatment and finishing processes is plasma, an ionized gas form. When applied to a material, it activates the surface, removes impurities, and deposits a coating with no application of water and effluents and lesser use of chemicals and energy. Ultrasonic treatment is another sustainable way of removing the impurities, dyeing, and finishing a textile. This process significantly reduces the water quantity, dye, and chemicals. Sasmira Institute of Man-Made Textiles obtained a patent for waterless dyeing technology called supercritical CO2 results in the reduced use of chemicals and eliminates the use of water (Sasmira Institute, 2020). Few other sustainable processes that are slowly innovating and getting to the application stage in India are spray dyeing and finishing, digital printing, and plant-based dyes and pigments.
Cut-make-trim
The innovations in the area of cut-make-trim are still at the nascent stages in India. Focusing on eliminating waste at the cutting stage would have an opportunity for regeneration as well. Additive manufacturing, consisting of processes 3D printing and 3D knitting, helps to minimize the stock by product customization. The customer returns can also be declined with this technology which in turn contributes to lessening the global carbon footprint. Unspun is one such fashion technology company contributing to a 24% lower carbon footprint compared with conventional practices (Unspun, 2020). Zero-waste manufacturing is another significant sustainable approach, which aims to design the fabric with no waste at all. Defining the alternative uses for the textile at the design stage is a crucial aspect of this process. Mass customization is a widely known innovation in India in the area of cut-make-trim. eShakti, a mass customization retailer provides women an option of customizing the clothes according to their tastes and needs. Automation and optimized yarn and fabric construction are few other sustainable methods in this operation, which are finding their way through research and application.
Retail and Use
The environmental impacts of retail and use are not tangible. They can be understood by measuring the impacts when the clothes are reused, recycled, and remanufactured. Implementing the circular business models enable this scenario. CAIF has proposed three categories of circular businesses. Re-commerce platforms, allowing the consumers to buy the used garments of the best quality from a brand, licensed platform, or another consumer. Rework makes contemporary designs using the abundance stock by tweaking, deconstructing, and resewing clothing. Rental platforms provide consumers an option to rent garments for occasions or monthly with a wide range of choices for customers and simultaneously extending the clothes life.
End-of-use
This is one of the major steps of the process as it plays a critical role in closing the loop. The initial player in this process is a consumer. The awareness programs and incentives would help to bring the used material in the loop, preventing them from ending up in landfills. The effective recycling and remanufacturing processes would then look the used clothes turn into new materials. Usha Yarns, a Chandigarh-based recycling service in India, makes recycled yarns made out of pre-consumer cotton waste and post-consumer polyester waste (Usha Yarns, 2020). Research on innovative solutions in sorting, mechanical and chemical recycling is widely taking place in the country.
These innovative solutions should be accompanied by effective supply chain management for mainstreaming the circular economy. The interactions among stakeholders of these processes and the integration of certain activities along the supply chain are crucial for the implementation.
Outcomes
Initially, this research attempts to fill the knowledge gap surrounding circular textiles in India. Integration of all these solutions in various operations would develop a working model for circularity. Application of these solutions enables circularity by means of regeneration, as they help to reduce the water usage, hazardous substances, toxic waste, hazardous chemicals, carbon footprint, and completely prevents the used clothes from going to landfills. They encourage consumers to purchase used garments of good quality, rent, and reuse textiles.
References
CAIF. (2020). The State of CIrcular Innovations in the Indian Fashion and Textile Indsutry.
Canopy. (2020). Solutions. Retrieved from Canopy: https://canopyplanet.org/solutions/
Sasmira Institute. (2020). 70th Annual Report 2019-20.
Spintex. (2020). Silk Reimagined. Retrieved from Spintex: https://www.spintex.co.uk/
Unspun. (2020). Body scan jeans Customized for you. Retrieved from Unspun: https://unspun.io/
Usha Yarns. (2020). Ask us for circularity. Retrieved from Usha Yarns: https://www.ushayarns.com/
