Things are manufactured rapidly and for a fraction of the cost in the fast fashion age, yet they wind up being pricey for the environment. Today, the textile sector is one of the most polluting in the world, and it is the third-largest source of trash in India, behind only plastic, paper, and compost.
A Delhi-based design firm is making a modest but important contribution to the fight against this sea of textile waste. Ashita Singhal’s Paiwand studio has nine in-house looms and has collaborated with over 35 designers in an effort to develop waste-friendly partnerships. She has prevented almost 3,000 kilogrammes of fabric trash from being disposed of in a landfill.