Whether he was plogging at a beach in Mahabalipuram in 2019 or wearing a sky-blue “sadri” jacket to Parliament made of recycled plastic bottles, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has been at the forefront of climate change and protecting the environment efforts.
The company recycles PET bottles and upcycles them into value-added products, such as clothing. EcoLine Clothing (EcoLine), based in Karur, is a brand of Shree Renga Polymers, a leader in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling and sustainable textiles in India.
Three months after the jacket made of recycled plastic in Karur, Tamil Nadu’s textile capital, was worn, Senthil Sankar, managing partner of Shree Renga Polymers and EcoLine, has experienced nonstop phone calls. on February 8, the PM will address Parliament.
Senthil claims that the jacket, which has a suggested sale price of Rs 2,000, was made from 20 to 28 bottles.
The business that owns EcoLine, Shree Renga Polymers, plans to double its capacity from 1.5 million to 4.5 million PET bottles recycled daily.
Over the next five years, Shree Renga Polymers expects to invest roughly Rs 250 crore, of which Rs 100 crore will go towards plant expansion and the remaining Rs 150 crore would be used for a marketing blitz.This company is the first in India to have end-to-end capabilities in the industry, starting with recycling and fibre and yarn production and ending with value-added completed goods.
“We are witnessing a rapid decline with the PM wearing our jacket,” increase in enquiries. We are receiving inquiries from all of the Group of Twenty nations, as well as from West Asia and Europe, and we are working to increase our footprint in these regions, according to Sankar.
The company is in the midst of extending its manufacturing footprint as a result of an increase in inquiries following the PM’s tacit endorsement, 10% of which are turning into orders.
“At the moment, we recycle about 1.5 million bottles per day and source 1,000 tonnes per month. This will increase to 3,000 tonnes each month and 4.5 million bottles in a few years, he continues.
The industry standard states that it will cost Rs 120 crore to build a comprehensive ecosystem for recycling 1,000 tonne per month.
We are just accessible online. According to Sankar, the corporation has warehouses in Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Dubai, and the US.
From garbage to gold
Bottles are gathered and sorted, and their caps and labels are taken off as part of the process. The hot-wash flakes are then cleaned in a 10-step process that involves crushing, cleaning, and recycling. After being heated, these flakes are woven into polyester staple fibre. To create yarn, this fibre is spun. Fabric made of polyester is created by knitting or weaving yarn.
According to the company, six bottles are required to make one T-shirt, and 90% of its products have a price tag of less than $10. Despite the fact that Shree Renga Polymers began operations in 2008, EcoLine wasn’t introduced until 2020.
