ReFiber, powered by OterRi, brings together Tisser Artisan Trust, CMAI, UNIDO and Lions International for an Independence Day textile circularity initiative
As India marks 80 years of Independence, ReFiber, powered by OterRi, launched its nationwide ‘Freedom from Unused Garments’ initiative at an online stakeholder meet, with Ms. Vrunda Desai, Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, as the Chief Guest.
The initiative brings together ReFiber, powered by OterRi, Tisser Artisan Trust, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), UNIDO and Lions International to create accessible pathways for the collection, recovery, reuse and upcycling of unused garments.
A new approach to textile waste
Ms. Vrunda Desai highlighted another dimension of freedom, describing it as freedom from wasteful consumption, resource inefficiency and unsustainable habits.
Highlighting the scale of textile waste in India, Desai said the country generates around 70 lakh tonnes of textile waste annually, with nearly 58% arising after consumer use. She noted that every discarded garment contains valuable resources, including fibre, water, energy, chemicals, transportation and human effort.
Desai also highlighted examples of consumers and public figures giving garments a second life through reuse and upcycling. She appreciated ReFiber’s approach of providing citizens with a digital platform through which they can schedule doorstep collection of unused garments.
Connecting collection with reuse and upcycling
As part of its wider circularity vision, ReFiber has appealed to the Ministry of Textiles to help connect it with upcyclers across India.
The ReFiber Upcycler Marketplace, an exclusive marketplace for recycled and upcycled products, aims to give upcyclers a platform to showcase their work and create new value from recovered textiles.
Dr. Megha Phansalkar, Founder, Tisser Artisan Trust, emphasised the need to change perceptions around discarded textiles and view garments awaiting disposal as potential raw material for their next stage of use.
Santosh Katariya, President, CMAI, highlighted the opportunity to reduce textile waste and unnecessary landfill disposal through collection, recycling and upcycling, while also creating opportunities for women’s empowerment.
Building a viable circular economy
Dr. Pankaj Kumar, National Project Coordinator, UNIDO, stressed that sustainability needs to be supported by viable economic models and financial sustainability. He highlighted Mumbai as one of the case studies while also pointing towards the potential for wider national adoption.
Naveen Sainani, Hon. General Secretary, CMAI and Chairman – ESG, said the initiative represents more than the launch of a waste collection drive. According to him, collection is only the first step, with greater success dependent on consumers recognising that unused garments can have another purpose.
Manoj Wanvari, COO, OterRi & ReFiber, said ReFiber is intended to create a circular ecosystem in which unused garments can find a new purpose rather than becoming waste.
Digital collection and textile recovery
ReFiber is designed as a technology-enabled circular economy platform for collecting, tracking and recovering post-consumer textile waste.
The platform combines digital citizen engagement, doorstep collection, source segregation, material traceability and impact reporting. Its collection infrastructure is supported by OterRi’s established laundry and delivery network, providing a first-mile collection channel for textiles directly from households.
Wanvari also pointed to the ReTuna recycling mall model in Sweden as an example of infrastructure that brings reuse and recycling activities together. He said similar infrastructure, supported by government participation, could help strengthen India’s circular economy.
The initiative had already received approximately 42 requests for post-consumer textile waste collection through the ReFiber app, according to Wanvari.
Towards a nationwide textile circularity model
ReFiber’s ‘Freedom from Unused Garments’ initiative aims to build awareness around conscious consumption while creating practical channels for the collection, recovery, reuse and upcycling of garments.
The initiative builds on ReFiber’s broader objective of developing a scalable and replicable model for textile circularity, moving from city-level demonstrations towards state-wide and eventually national adoption.
By connecting citizens, collection networks, textile organisations and upcyclers, ReFiber aims to give unused garments a second life while supporting a more circular approach to textile waste management in India.