Industry News

Government e Marketplace (GeM), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Textiles Committee (TC), under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote recycled and upcycled textile products through public procurement.

The partnership covers products made from pre- and post-consumer textile waste, scrap and second-hand clothes, and is aimed at creating new market opportunities for enterprises working in the circular textile economy. It will build a 'Waste-to-Value-to-Market' ecosystem so that textile waste and used clothing can be converted into quality value-added products and made available to government buyers through GeM.

The MoU was signed during the 62nd Foundation Day celebrations of the Textiles Committee in Mumbai, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said. Under the agreement, the Textiles Committee will identify, verify, certify and recognise eligible producers of recycled and upcycled textile products, besides supporting stakeholder consultations, capacity building, market research and the development of technical specifications.

GeM will create dedicated categories for recycled and upcycled textile products, support seller onboarding and online market linkages, and promote these products among government buyers. Training and handholding support will be provided to help last-mile upcyclers and recyclers participate effectively in public procurement.

The partnership will follow a hub-and-spoke approach, with the Textiles Committee and its affiliate offices handling last-mile outreach, mobilisation and capacity building of upcyclers and recyclers. They will also support the preparation of suitable product specifications and catalogues for government procurement.

The initiative focuses on women, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), local enterprises, artisans, recyclers and other circular-economy enterprises. It is aligned with the national priorities of Vocal for Local, Make in India and self-reliant India.

The MoU was signed by Ajit B Chavan, additional chief executive officer, GeM, and Kartikay Dhanda, secretary, Textiles Committee, in the presence of senior officials and industry stakeholders.

Mihir Kumar, chief executive officer, Government e Marketplace said, "By connecting certification, standardisation and market access, the GeM -TC partnership seeks to create reliable demand for products made from textile waste. Government procurement, with its scale and reach, can accelerate adoption of such products across offices, institutions, gifting and other public-use requirements."

The initiative is intended to support resource conservation, sustainable livelihoods and responsible consumption and production, while strengthening India's transition towards a circular and resource-efficient textile economy.