As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), together with multiple organizations, has launched a nationwide old clothing collection campaign called "Get Rid of Idle Clothes," aimed at raising public awareness of post-consumer textile waste and encouraging actual participation in recycling.

Vrunda Desai, Textile Commissioner at India's Ministry of Textiles, said at an online stakeholder meeting that India generates about 7 million tonnes of textile waste each year, nearly 58% of which comes from the post-consumer stage. Every discarded garment carries valuable resources such as fiber, water, energy, chemicals, transportation, and labor. Desai praised the campaign for providing a simple digital platform that allows citizens to schedule door-to-door pickup of idle clothing, thereby promoting a shift away from wasteful consumption and unsustainable lifestyles.

CMAI Chairman Santosh Katariya noted that the core of the campaign is "getting rid of waste" and "getting rid of unnecessary landfill." Rather than letting clothing end up in landfills, its value should be restored through recycling, regeneration, and upcycling. He also stressed that the campaign not only protects the environment but also creates opportunities to empower society, with every citizen who donates idle clothing helping the textile ecosystem move toward circularity and responsibility.

Naveen Sainani, CMAI Honorary Secretary General and ESG Chairman, said this is not merely launching a waste collection project, but the beginning of changing how people view textile waste. The collected clothing will be used for recycling, upcycling, and other reuse pathways, thereby reducing pressure on landfills. However, he also stressed that collection is only the first step, and true success lies in making consumers realize that idle clothing in their wardrobes can have a second life.

The "Get Rid of Idle Clothes" campaign highlights the need for coordinated cooperation among consumers, industry, civil society, and government to accelerate the transition to a more circular textile economy. The campaign also further consolidates CMAI's commitment to advancing sustainable development and textile circularity through previous cooperation with industry and social sector partners.

Source: CMAI and partners drive nationwide garment collection initiative to advance textile circularity on Independence Day · Originally published on 2026-08-19