Eco-friendly fashion becomes the new drip, ABFRL joins initiative to reduce the harmful impact of the fashion industry

Gone are the days when gallons of water were used to produce a tiny piece of cloth. Big companies are looking for more and more eco-friendly ways of production these days. It has been quite some time since the brands started to use recycled materials for their production of apparel and fashion accessories.

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) has moved a step further by collaborating with Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to come up with innovations and improve the existing process of production and reduce its impact on the environment.

“The joint project is designed to introduce material innovation, reduce inputs of harmful substances, increase textile-to-textile recycling, develop alternatives to plastic packaging, and foster traceability,” ABFRL announced.

The move is being seen as a great step by one of the largest shareholders in the fashion business in India. ABFRL has been responsible for manufacturing and marketing brands like Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, and Peter England in India. It also has bought exclusive offline and online rights of Forever 21 in India.

 Therefore, the move coming from such an important stakeholder in the fashion production industry holds importance. The company made an entry into sportswear last year when it announced it was taking over the operations of Reebok in India and other ASEAN countries.

The joint initiative by the two companies includes funding and putting in resources to come up with ways of production that do not cause harm to nature. It is being implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and is part of the “develoPPP programme“.

 “There is a need to “self-disrupt” existing practises and ensure transition to a more circular approach. Promoting a common understanding is therefore crucial from a sustainable development perspective for the entire textile sector in India, “said Ashish Dixit, Managing Director of ABFRL.

 He also said, “The programme will complement existing business practises such as downcycling, recycling, and reusing and introduce new sustainable production processes.” Steps like these should be welcomed as the ever-increasing demand for fast fashion is causing a high rate of production and more damage to the environment.

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