Taking shape in Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu is a unique initiative with the twin aims of reducing textile waste as well as the usage of plastic bags.
The initiative is led by German development service provider Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH which has partnered with Tiruchi City Municipal Corporation, a Bengaluru-based NGO Saahas and local organic store Ecotopia.
This project aims to encourage residents to donate their used clothes which can then be converted into shopping bags at tailoring stations for free.
“Our appeal on social media handles last week has got a good response. Some apartment block residents have offered to collect clothes from the whole building and bring them in,” said Bharathi Bavaharan, Proprietor, Ecotopia.
These bags would be 18-20 inches in size, said Bharathi who also runs the ‘Vision 2030’ group for sustainable and zero-waste living.
“Thanks to fast fashion and overbuying, textile waste forms nearly 20 per cent of landfills in every city. By getting them repurposed as shopping carriers that could last for at least 10 years, we can reduce the usage of plastic bags,” said Vani Shree, Junior advisor, GIZ Climate Change.
According to an official, the project is due to end in 2025 and the goal would be to make the city self-sufficient and create a model to reduce waste over the long term.