Developing techniques of upcycling pre and post consumer textile waste for sustainable growth

Abstract

Developing Techniques of Upcycling Pre and Post Consumer Textile Waste for Sustainable Growth Textile Industry is the major polluter of the planet earth. Articles of fast fashion are dumped in landfills if not donated or resold. Upcycling this waste for a cradle-to-cradle second-life is a sustainable option. Qualitative and Quantitative data was collected for the present study by means of Interviews, Surveys, Focus Group Discussions, Case Studies and Practice-led Research. A survey was conducted to explore availability of textile waste in Pushkar; Jaisalmer Fort; Surajkund-Mela, Faridabad; Janpath-New Delhi and e-markets. 39 Gujarati women entrepreneurs allotted kiosks at Gujarati Street, Janpath, New Delhi were interviewed. These women procure textile waste from Gujarat. The monthly income of these illiterate entrepreneurs is between Rs. 20000/- Rs. 30000/-. They face problems like competition from peers, absence of electricity, raids, vagaries of seasonal business. These women were unaware of the potential this Sustainable-business the world is waking up to. The study further involved experimenting with techniques of upcycling locally salvaged Pre and Post Consumer textiles. Design interventions of Practice-led Research were shared with the women entrepreneurs of Janpath Street and their feedback was recorded. They opined that these products were good and had a market for clientele that would pay a higher price without bargaining. Products created were part of Promotional Activity through a series of Exhibition-cum-Sales and Fashion Shows. Sales were recorded and customer-feedback was taken. To promote awareness about upcycling textile waste, talks were telecast on TV Channels. Clippings were uploaded on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram and number of views and likes were recorded. The response figures reflected the success of the Multi-method and Practice-led-Research. Key-Words: Sustainable, Pre-Consumer Waste, Post-Consumer Waste, Practice-led Research, Cradle-to-cradle, Fast fashion, Upcycled.