Ø GeM Initiative to Turn Textile Waste into
Value-Added Products for Government Buyers
·
GeM and the Textiles
Committee (TC) have signed an MoU to promote recycled and upcycled textile
products through government procurement.
·
The initiative aims to create a “Waste-to-Value-to-Market”
ecosystem, converting textile waste, scrap and second-hand clothes into value-added
products.
·
Textiles Committee will identify, verify, certify and recognise eligible producers and support capacity building,
market research and development of product specifications.
·
GeM will create
dedicated product categories, facilitate seller onboarding and connect recycled
and upcycled textile producers with government buyers.
·
The partnership will provide training and handholding
support to last-mile recyclers and upcyclers to participate
effectively in public procurement.
·
A hub-and-spoke model will be adopted to improve
outreach, mobilisation and capacity building across different
regions.
·
The initiative particularly supports women entrepreneurs,
MSMEs, artisans, local enterprises, recyclers and circular-economy businesses.
·
It aligns with national initiatives such as Vocal for
Local, Make in India and AatmaNirbhar Bharat.
·
Government procurement is expected to create reliable
and large-scale demand for certified recycled and upcycled textile products.
·
Overall, the partnership aims to reduce textile waste,
conserve resources, generate sustainable livelihoods and strengthen India's circular
and resource-efficient textile economy.
[ABS News Service/04.09.2026]
Government e Marketplace (GeM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Textiles Committee
(TC), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, have joined hands to promote recycled
and upcycled products made from pre- and post-consumer textile waste, scrap and
second-hand clothes through public procurement, creating new market opportunities
for enterprises in the circular textile economy. The partnership was formalised
through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during the 62nd Foundation Day
celebrations of the Textiles Committee in Mumbai.
The collaboration will create a ‘Waste-to-Value-to-Market’
ecosystem, enabling textile waste, scrap and second-hand clothes to be transformed
into quality value-added products and made available to Government buyers through
GeM.
Under the MoU, 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 development of technical specifications.
GeM will create dedicated categories for
recycled and upcycled textile products, facilitate seller onboarding and online
market linkages, and promote these products among Government buyers. Training and
handholding support will enable last-mile upcyclers and
recyclers to participate effectively in public procurement.
The partnership will follow a hub-and-spoke
approach, with the Textiles Committee and its affiliate offices facilitating last-mile
outreach, mobilisation and capacity building of upcyclers
and recyclers, while supporting the development of appropriate product specifications
and catalogues for Government procurement.
With a focus on women, MSMEs, local enterprises,
artisans, recyclers and other circular-economy enterprises, the initiative seeks
to build an inclusive, decentralised and sustainable production ecosystem, aligned
with the national priorities of Vocal for Local, Make in India and AatmaNirbhar Bharat.
The event was graced by the presence of
Union Minister of Textiles, Giriraj Singh, and Minister of Textiles, Government
of Maharashtra, Sanjay Savkare. The MoU was signed by Additional CEO, GeM, Ajit B. Chavan, and Secretary, Textiles Committee, Kartikay Dhanda, in the presence of senior officials and industry
stakeholders.
Speaking about this significant milestone,
CEO (GeM), Mihir Kumar, 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 will contribute to resource
conservation, sustainable livelihoods and responsible consumption and production,
while strengthening India’s transition towards a circular and resource-efficient
textile economy.
The partnership marks a significant step
towards turning textile waste into economic opportunity and sustainable market growth
through the scale of public procurement.