Textiles are everywhere, in our clothing, interior furnishings, accessories etc. The post-consumer textile waste is mounting in landfills due to lack of formal collection channels and proper disposal options.
That is more than 3 million tons of waste. About 40% of it goes to landfills and some of it is turned into low-quality products. As a result, we have millions of tons of decent-quality materials that can be reintroduced in the value chain even after their primary purpose is fulfilled. Under our Close the Loop program, we are piloting an innovative recovery ecosystem for the post-consumer textile waste.
The Good Felt, a venture by Enviu, under Reweave program is dedicated to transforming poor-quality and post-consumer textile waste into premium felt products. The material is created by matting and condensing textile fibers into felt panels, which can be used for interior design, carpeting, and acoustic systems. This way, we can reduce the amount of textile waste that ends up in landfills and promote circularity.
We have conducted market and technical validation exercises to ensure the scalability, profitability, and impact of our venture. We are currently in the market validation phase, focusing on expanding our reach and customer base. The project also addresses social concerns. We care about everyone who is involved in our felt-making process, from the waste pickers who collect the discarded clothes, to the workers who sort and fabricate the felt products.
We are working with H&M Foundation, Fashion for Good and IKEA Foundation, who are supporting us to develop the blueprint for the venture and set up a manufacturing facility in India.