The cards ofhe“Do you have old clothes?” Bangalore campaign. | Photo credit: special arrangement
As part of its #invaluable initiative, BBC Media Action, in association with Saamuhika Shakti Collective, has presented a unique presentation card that requires a responsible discardment of old clothing.
Created with discarded clothing collected from dry waste collection centers (DWCC), the cards have been manufactured by the family of waste collection in the skills development centers administered by the Sambhav Foundation. They come with a WhatsApp number, which people who wish to disfanar their old clothes can contact.
The initiative is part ofThe newly released of the BBC Media Action “Gotwly Old Clothes?” Campaign that aims to urge people or Bengaluri to discard their old clothes.
The number +91 9741730854 administered by Hasiru Dala (who is also a partner of Saamuhika Shakti) will connect users to a chatbot. The Bot will guide users to the closest DWCCs where they can leave used garments and bedding. Hasiru Dala would organize Dornstep pills for amounts that exceed 50 kilograms.
Role of waste collectors
According to a shipping report, India generates 7.2 million tons or textile waste annually, or that 3.94 million tons are textile waste after consumption discarded by homes. This raises severe environmental challenges, causing air, water and soil pollution and contributing to climate change through carbon emissions.
Textiles currently constitute the third part of the waste that ends up in landfills. The initiative aims to highlight the vital role of waste collectors to address assembly textile waste.
“With this phase of the #Invaluable ones, we wanted to move from consciousness to action and rethink them as professionals. There is an urgent need to recognize these professionals who are the backbone of our waste value chain and circular economy. The card represents a change in the way we see and values waste collectors,” said Soma Katiyar, executive director of Executive Creators, Average BBC Action.
Decentralized system for fabric recycling
The research carried out by Hasiru Dala estimates that about 60% of the discarded textiles received in DWCC in Bangalore have a recycling potential if they are collected separately and not contaminated. Estimates also suggest that approximately 22,500 people participate in waste collection, contributing significantly to the city’s waste management system.
The circular clothing innovation factory, a partner of Saamuhika Shakti, together with Hasiru Dala, has operationalized a decentralized daily collection system of textile waste after the consumption of 16 neighborhoods in Bengaluru through DWCC and the Aggregation Center from where they moved to a textile recovery installation and then recycled.
Actor Danish Sait, along with representatives of organizations working with Saamuhika Shakti and BBC Media Action, joined the launch event.
While talking about his participation in the campaign, Sait hoped that the campaign would inspire people responsible for responsible garments and support waste collectors to prevent waste in landfills.
Published – April 17, 2025 02:43 am isth