The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, is organising ‘Weave The Future 4.0 – Upcycling Edition’ at Dilli Haat, New Delhi, from July 12 to 17.
According to the Ministry of Textiles, the initiative aims to promote circularity, sustainable production and innovation in the textile and handloom sector by bringing together artisans and weavers, designers, innovators, industry representatives, academic institutions and civil society organisations working towards responsible production and consumption.
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The event will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh on July 13.
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The occasion will also be attended by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, and Thomas McClenaghan, Minister Counsellor and Head of Sustainable Modernisation, Delegation of the European Union to India.
On the occasion, the Ministry will launch the ‘What Is It Made Of?’ Textile Waste Innovation Challenge, a national initiative aimed at encouraging innovative, scalable and practical solutions to address India’s growing textile waste challenge.
The competition is open to students, artisans and weavers, designers, researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators and citizens from across the country.
According to available estimates, India generates approximately 70.73 lakh tonnes of textile waste annually, comprising nearly 29.73 lakh tonnes of pre-consumer waste and 41 lakh tonnes of post-consumer waste.
With the textile recycling sector projected to grow significantly in the coming years and create green employment opportunities, the initiative seeks to demonstrate how innovation, traditional craftsmanship and circular design can transform textile waste into economic, social and environmental value.
Since its inception, Weave The Future has served as a national platform for promoting sustainable, circular and craft-led approaches to textile production and consumption. The initiative fosters collaboration among artisans, designers, brands, innovators, researchers and cultural practitioners.
The fourth edition will feature more than 100 brands, recyclers, artisans, thrift collectives, repair practitioners and material innovators, showcasing diverse approaches to upcycling, recycling, repair, repurposing and circular design.
The exhibition will highlight emerging practices that extend product life cycles, reduce waste and encourage responsible material use.
The Innovation Challenge is open to participants between 16 and 45 years of age from disciplines including design, engineering, science, technology, communication, research, entrepreneurship, community development and systems thinking.
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