Usha yarns is a textile production company based in India and are a great example of showcasing circularity in the textiles economy. Utilising pre-consumer waste streams from garment manufacturing, they have developed a technology that allows them to produce sustainable recycled yarn at lower prices and a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

The most significant environmental impact over the whole supply chain of textile production occurs when procuring raw material. Cotton, a widely used raw material, is the primary example, which negatively impacts water use, pollutes through fertilisers and pesticides, and leads to soil erosion and degradation. Pre-consumer waste within the textile industry is immense; 10-30% of the fabric produced becomes waste from garment cutting. The amount of waste discarded from the garments could well cover the clothing needs of certain large cities. The well-paced emphasis on sustainability in textiles has resulted in the establishment of renting and re-commerce platforms for post-consumer garments. With the high volumes of pre-consumer waste and the rapid pace of industry growth, sustainable practices beyond collection and sorting systems are very much needed. The industry must establish pre-consumer recycling operations at scale to effectively eliminate waste.  

Usha Yarns, a Chandigarh based textile production company, has been recycling vast amounts of pre-consumer waste and has established a standard recycled spinning process and recycled textile technology approved by the global sustainability standards. 

Usha uses pre-consumer garment cutting waste and polyester made from recycled PET bottles and converts them into a sustainable, lower-cost yarn with a reduced environmental footprint. They have established a chain of collection of vast amounts of waste from garment manufacturing, which is then processed through shredding, opening, mixing, cleaning, and straightening at their recycling facility. Generally, the usage of recycled yarns is limited to the production of bed sheets, socks, and mattresses. However, with their technology, Usha yarns can produce a quality yarn that can be used in the largest textile segments: t-shirts, suits, and leggings. This organisation has been striving to promote sustainable fashion. What makes their work significant is the scale they operate at, producing more than 100 tons of recycled yarn each month. They also do work to encourage their customer base to purchase recycled yarn and garments. They also do work to encourage their customer base to purchase recycled yarn and garments.

This organisation has been striving to promote sustainable fashion. What makes their work significant is the scale they operate at, producing more than 100 tons of recycled yarn each month.