At the invitation of the Global Alliance for Textile Sustainability Council (GATS), a high-level team from the H&M Foundation and Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) traveled to India's leading textile recycling hub, Panipat, marking a significant milestone for the global fashion and textile industry. The visit represents a key step in developing industry-wide strategies for a sustainable, inclusive, and circular textile economy.
Lennart Bernhoft, Chief Operating Officer, GFA, led the delegation, which also included Carola Tembe (Project Director), Jodith Tesfai (Project Manager), and Elin Hallerby (Communications Lead) from the H&M Foundation. The GATS team, headed by Chairman Parvinder Singh and supported by Harshit Kakkar, Archish Kansal, and Sanjay Chauhan, hosted the visit.
The GATS team showcased Panipat's vital role in global textile recycling by highlighting its extensive waste-to-product supply chain during the tour. The visiting team directly observed how Panipat is establishing standards for inclusive growth models and closed-loop processes.
The delegation’s discussions focused on three key priorities including developing strategies to significantly increase the amount of textile waste that is successfully diverted and recycled; creating new models that enhance the value recovered from recycled materials, making sustainable recycling more appealing and profitable and developing plans to improve the social security, working conditions, and incomes of workers—particularly those in the unorganized sector—involved in the textile waste ecosystem.
GATS also outlined its broader goal of expanding its historical dominance in home furnishings by transforming Panipat from a recycling hub into a sustainable and affordable garment sourcing hub. GATS aims to establish Panipat as a leading global location for ethical sourcing by developing skills in the apparel industry, built upon a strong foundation of social compliance and circularity.
GFA's ongoing work in Panipat through its ‘Green Threads & Weaves’ project with the Foundation for MSME Clusters further emphasized the potential for synergistic partnerships aimed at deeply integrating sustainability into the business models of local businesses.
