"Restoring, refurbishing and recycling textiles, which form a huge part of domestic waste. Two traditional Indian crafts, Kantha from West Bengal and Gabba from Kashmir, are brilliant examples of restoring and recycling large pieces of domestic textile waste.

The old fabric pieces like curtains, bed linen, turbans, lungyi, tablecloths, blankets and the like are collected by the company. These are then processed as per their customer’s requirements and delivered as beautiful, durable articles ready for use. In this case we are looking at re-using large pieces of useable/ discarded fabrics from households."

Text from https://www.itu.int/en/myitu/Publications/2020/06/19/13/51/Re-use-of-Consumer-Goods-and-Tools-Loaning

"Employment is generated at all levels, through the collection of the fabrics, processing, delivering, and so on. It also saves the environment by recycling the enormous amounts of fabric waste and converting it into usable articles which are very durable and aesthetically rich.

Social impact:

1. Kantha has traditionally been a women’s craft, where it was practised at the domestic level. Therefore, reviving the traditional arts of Kantha and Gabba will offer new employment opportunities to women. This process of enhanced opportunities for women would lead to meeting SDG 5 - Gender Equality.

2. Ancient crafts such as Kantha and Gabba will be preserved and put to use in the present context of Smart Sustainable Cities.

Economic impact:

1. Craftsmen of traditional arts in developing countries usually live in difficult financial conditions. This type of initiative would provide them with more work and enhanced income, and would thus help in the process of reduction of poverty, meeting the SDG 1 and also SDG 8, i.e. Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Environmental impact:

1. Waste disposal is a big challenge to the environment. Through this project, the amount of textile waste generated is reduced considerably, thus working towards environmental sustainability and meeting SDG 11- Sustainable Cities and Communities."