Recycling Threads of Life

It is time to pause and think about the global and local discourses related to mass production leading to solid waste and landfill. The amount of waste a single person or a community or a city produces has become beyond control. Thus a solution to control waste by reusing recreating and reshaping organic material is essential and need of time. A local craft like Gantha from the Ganjam district of Odisha made by women uses layers of old saress and dhotis by reinforcing  it with stitches and enhancing the surface with colourful patches as border and small decorative pattern. This craft can be compared at a global level with Boro technique of Japan that reuses all the wastes together. Examples such as Gantha and Boro are real examples of local and global craft that are pragmatic and can be scaled globally.

In this period of Climate change, consumerism has created abundant amount of waste that is affecting the environment at global and local level particularly textile waste.  Millions of people are employed to make garments in Asia with increasing carbon footage globally. However, discourses are raising the question of limitation and actions to utilize the waste produced at industrial scale that is filling up the soil and river? How can old clothes and sarees be reused again?  Damage to environment has been already done. It is high time for a call to action to save the environment. How can recycling practiced in a productive way to generate sustainable livelihood programs at local and global level. There are several questions that remain unanswered -what to do with the waste around us and to create the awareness that it is imperative and essential.

Sustainable change and impact is possible through meaning collaborations. Some of the answers are rooted in local crafts incorporating the concept of recycling technology such as Gantha craft of Odisha and Boro Craft of Ganjam as a solution to reduce waste and landfill in a productive and efficient way.  

I work in collaboration with local communities skilled in weaving and crafts in Odisha to create sustainable hand-woven textiles. ‘Recycling Threads of Life’ project will work with artisans affected in Khurda and Puri district that recently came currently under the crisis as a result of cyclone Fani on May 3rd 2019. The Impact of cyclone led to collateral damage, distress and loss of legacy for many artisans. It will also encompass women from landless dalit community (scheduled caste or untouchable community). The aim of collaboration with local communities is to improve their current condition economically. It will involve active participation in sustainable model of recycling crafts –which will also work as a medium of therapy to calm the distress caused due to cyclone and a ray of hope for economic progress.

The project- Recycling threads of Life will implement small cluster and implement recycling workshop to train artisans’ women using the skill through series of workshop. It will raise awareness of waste management and recycle renewable materials into productive economy.

‘Recycling Threads of Life’ project is an endeavor to use the organic and renewable unused textile waste from the surrounding industries and translate it into viable product model into a circular economy. This is a slow-sustainable –recycled production process. Using every tiny scraps of fabric in a possible way to generate a sustainable livelihood product and use the maximum from the waste, is the objective of the project.

Sustainable eco-friendly products using renewable and organic materials will reach more number of people to fight the textile waste industry are producing at growing level. The process of recycling is a labour intensive process, however, at the same time creating best out of waste is economically viable.  

1. Recycled scarves using textiles waste through hand quilted technique. Designing contemporary product line from the waste is another solution to stop landfill. Hand quitting small pieces of fabric on a textile base with running stitches by using every tiny piece of textile waste. This handcrafted recycled scarf will be made by the women artisans in Khurda district of Odisha to generate income for home based workers and cyclone affected workers.  

2. Recycled women’s crop top using patchwork. By integrating fragments of fabric of various shapes together into one surface, overlapping the edges and reinforcing it with hand stitches to reuse the combined piece of fabric again into an easy to breathe crop top for women’s line. This is a solution for circular Fashion.

3. Recycled stationery can reach maximum number of people irrespective of gender and age. Small items are easier to make and faster to produce.  Stationery ideas such as book mark, flowers, notebook cover can create a new product line and production chain from the textile waste.  Pin up flowers can be used in versatile way for women and decor. Through this project home based women workers will be directly benefited out of the project.They can earn maximum from the waste

At our design studio we incorporated the local and global technique from Odisha and Japan –Gantha and Boro craft into circular fashion - an innovative approach to recycling technology.  By circular fashion we are suggesting to reuse- recreate and reshape textile into a usable product that is fashionable and has a global message attached to it.  The concept of layering and the attaching small pieces of textile waste into a product is a slow and sustainable process. This business model is economically viable and at the same time it will empower women. Using textile waste in asymmetrical composition in the form of scarves, women’s crop top and stationary can serve a new population that is interested in the nuances of recycling renewable material to fight challenges of landfill and climate change.  This business model of recycling is innovative and laborious, but at the same time creating designs from the waste is truly challenging and motivating. 

The ‘Recycling Threads of Life’ project aims to illustrate how old recycling technology can be incorporated to solve the issues of textile waste produced by the industries and common people.

The first technology I want to highlight is the handmade quilt, known as Gantha locally by rural women in Ganjam district of Odisha. A recycling technology such as Gantha reuses six to seven layers of old worn out sarees and dhotis into a single piece of quilt for personal use . The layers are reinforced together with stitches and the surface is rendered with torn borders of sarees and dhotis in interesting patterns.  In contemporary context our circular fashion application plays with layers of textile waste and stitches on different. The Base cloth and rendered with the waste cloth cut into desirable shape are hand quilted together covering the area with running stitches. The women’s crop top design produced through this process is aesthetically simple with modern appeal for the contemporary market.

The second recycle technology is Boro used in Japan. The technique brings together small and big pieces of fabric together with hand stitched to recycle textile waste together into a piece of garment. In the current context Boro technique becomes interesting way of joining pieces together for reuse.

Both the crafts Gantha and Boro are recycled craft that was practices earlier to save environment by the local people. This is a solution to manage the textile waste.

Recycling textile waste incorporating existing technology – Gantha and Boro in the contemporary context is a viable sustainable model as a solution for circular economy. Using recycling technique to reuse renewable textile material by introducing a recycle product will have a positive impact on environment.  Thus, it will generate income from the waste and employ hundreds of women who are home based workers.

The solution to use both the crafts with a new dimension in circular fashion is imperative and essential because it does not require any high technology and bigger incubation space. It is a slow and sustainable model that requires basic training for skill improvement and application of the technique. Both the crafts are practiced by hand. In the fast growing automation period, handmade recycled crafts stand in a unique position for the niche market. The recycle waste solution is innovative and has a unique selling point at global and local market.  

This process will address the problem of textile waste because we are using circular fashion as a change and impact.  The language of design and fashion uses textile waste wisely into a productive clothing, accessories and stationery line. This is a positive approach to save the environment from landfill and also a message to consumers and people about the necessity to recycle-reuse-recreate.

We are currently serving twenty women with our solution. Women are based in suburbs of Bhubhaneswar and Khurda district. Most of the women are home based workers. Work from home gives them opportunity to progress economically and to utilise their skill without breaking any social boundaries

We aim to support around hundred women and tailors in one year by increasing the job work for home based women using recycling technology as a solution. Women in Puri and Khurda district affected due to cyclone Fani will be encompassed in this sustainable project.

In five years we aim to support 500 people, women and tailors to create a productive line of clothing using recycling textile waste as solution for circular economy.

In the next five years we aim to generate sustainable livelihood program for rural and semi-urban villages across Odisha to support women, farmers and tribal people by using the local indigenous methods into a sustainable business model.

The projects in progress are

• Artisan Support Project aims to support artists from Puri and Khurda district affected due to cyclone Fani through three programs -workshop  to create textile scrolls , contemporary products for the cooperate market  and women empowerment program using recycle textile waste.

• Odisha Khadi project aims to create hand spun and hand woven khadi textile using rare indigenous cotton of Odisha that supports farmers, tribal women and weavers. The hand spun and hand woven cloth in natural dye will be revolutionary step in history of Odisha to create swadeshi movement and the spirit of Gandhian philosophy in practice. It will revive hand spinning and generate income for local communities in Rayagada, Kalahandi and Jagatsingpur.
• Natural dye project aims to establish a natural dye unit through series of workshop using natural resources to create eco friendly textile and to generate livelihood for local people in Jagatsingpur and Gopalpur ( Jajpur) districts of Odisha.

In order to implement the above projects we are looking for funding. Financial support will enable us to scale up the project at a large scale to impact lives of rural people in Odisha.

There are many barriers in the craft sector. In twelve years of time I took time to travel, study and understand the rare indigenous techniques that is still practiced in Odisha. Many of the crafts have languished in the due process. Each region has its own difficulties in terms of production. During this period weavers of Jagatsingpur, Nuaptana and Gopalpur village were able to understand the need for contemporary designs and implementation of the same. However, twelve years ago there was a hesitation in creating contemporary product for the outside market. With time training and workshop enhanced their skill and helped to create trust through sustainable linkage.

To empower weavers, women artisans in textile craft, khadi project and natural dyeing one of the biggest hurdle is financial challenge.  Support for sustainable project can changes lives of rural people in Odisha. To implement project in action technical requirement such as incubation space, production unit, high quality sewing machine, hand spinning tools, Ginning machine and natural dye resources are necessary for a larger impact.

To overcome the barriers such as financial, technical and limitation of resources we seek for financial support and advice from professionals in this sector.

Our resources is our knowledge bank on indigenous crafts, local weaving communities, and local women artisans from tribal and non tribal communities. We want to impact the lives of people in rural Odisha using the available resources we have built over the years.

As a design & research studio we have the capacity to produce products at a certain scale. To be able to scale it at a larger level we need firstly an incubation space to archive material and experiment designs. Secondly we need production space to multiply the product into production at a larger scale. Thirdly, we require financial support to buy machines, raw materials, logistic and team for marketing and production.

 With the above requirements we will be impact lives of people at a larger scale.

Full time staff at design studio- 6

Part time staff includes home based workers and consultants-20     

Weavers-40

Our team works closely works with local communities at grass root level in Odisha. The team comprises of artistic director, project leader, and project coordinator, garment cutting master, supervisor, seam stress and weavers. Our team operates in three different ways.

Firstly, as a team we brain storm on new projects and plan the action according to structure of each project to implement and delegate work.  The project leader analyses previous work and based on the performance create feedback and prototype for future sustainable model of business.  Rajesh Patnaik our project coordinator has a background in community work and implementation of public art project- Bhubaneswar Art Trail. He is an Electrical Electronic engineer by profession. Radhakant Turuk is a Civil engineer by profession and also the project coordinator of our team. He is responsible for documentation, social media and photography.

 Secondly, I design hand-woven textiles in collaboration with weavers in the rural parts of Odisha. Our weavers are highly skilled but lowly qualified.  The production team of garment is small- comprising of cutting master, supervisor, and seam stress for production. They are lowly qualified but skilled.

 We have an alternate space called ‘Kala Aur Katha’- a community based project that is a collective of designers, film makers, anthropologist, architects and scholars for workshop and research based activities.

On basis of above potential and skill we consider our team is well placed to answer the solution to problems- from design execution to structural analysis and production.

As a designer, firstly I partner at community level -with weavers, artisans to produce textiles and recycle waste products.

Secondly I am associated with National Institute of Fashion Technology, under Ministry of Textiles as a board member of jury and Alumni to  use resources, apply new technology on textile waste and other woven materials.

Our social enterprise is a sustainable business model that supports local indigenous crafts and communities in capacity building and economic stability. We work in five clusters of Odisha- Jagatsingpur,  Nuapatna, Gopalpur, Kotpad and khurda with mulberry silk, raw silk ( tussar) and cotton materials using ikat, extra weft, dobby techniques-by recognizing the unique selling point of that region, refining the craft through skill development,  conducting self- expression with artisans to create a space for exploration and experimentation on paper, training in natural dyes using organic materials that are available, material exploration of the technique in various mediums and development of contemporary textiles.  Through these initiatives we are able to revive, recreate and utilize the skill and traditional knowledge passed on as ancestral legacy from one generation to another generation.  As a result of this, we are improvising the lives of people, reducing interstate migration, and stop artisans from opting lowly skilled job. The economic progress is the biggest boon in comparison to what they receive from societies in our sustainable business model. Thus, our sustainable business model is ethical practiced and economically viable.  

We aim to get funding from organizations that supports sustainable model of a social enterprise. The funding will come through CSR projects, seeds project, sponsorship, donation ad crowd funding to raise funds for planned project at the initial level. The financial support will enable us to scale up the business model to multiply production and impact lives of hundreds of people.  The marketing and sale of products will be able to generate revenue to meet the cost of investment of materials and financial stability for future production.

Solve can help us overcome the financial at the initial stage of implementation of sustainable business model. This platform will work as an opportunity to scale the sustainable business model by empowering hundreds of people including women through this project.  We will be able to meet the necessary requirement to start the project with resources from production team, space, raw materials and machines. We are looking forward to receive technical input, suggestions and global collaboration through Solve. By translating project into action, this platform can become the medium to share our message about recycling textile waste using existing technology in a contemporary style. Thus, Solve will help us to accomplish our vision to a great extent.

We would like to partner who are interested in indigenous textile crafts and contemporary application of the same such as handwoven experimental textiles to recycle waste management. The collaboration with organization who believe in sustainable business model that supports rural communities in ethical approach can create possibility of future ventures.

We would like to collaborate and produce products that has a reach at global level with a message about supporting hand made crafts with beautiful hands as a solution for circular economy against the growing automation world.

We would like to apply for the innovation for Women Prize as our sustainable business model using indigenous crafts is appropriate for the social empowerment of the rural women.

As a capable team for the above prize, we operate with many home based workers in rural and urban spaces in Bhubaneswar.

With the recognition and financial support we will expand the work sphere in Puri and Khurda to support hundreds of home based women affected due to cyclone Fani. This is a time of crisis for many families who were displaced due to natural calamity. Many of houses were washed away because of the cyclone. women were badly affected. Thus it is imperative and essential that our circular economy project encompasses women artisans in distress to overcome natural challenges faced by this disaster. Sustainable model of business will enable them to overcome through distress by using handcrafted skills and empower the home based workers by creating a new hope for living.