ABFRL and GIZ Announces the ‘Circularity Innovation Challenge 2023’

MUMBAI:
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL), one of India’s leading fashion companies, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) announced the launch of the ‘Circularity Innovation Challenge 2023’. This initiative, in collaboration with Centre for Environment Education (CEE) and GIZ Leverist, aims to create a platform for innovators in the textile and apparel industry to develop innovative solutions. The challenge will feature eight categories and shortlisted/chosen innovators will have an opportunity to pilot their innovations.

“We are thrilled to kickstart the ‘Circularity Innovation Challenge 2023’ in partnership with GIZ,” said Dr Naresh Tyagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, ABFRL. “At ABFRL we aim to collaborate, contribute, and co-create a new movement in the Indian textile sector. Our goal is to create a platform for innovators, to introduce sustainable and impactful solutions and raise awareness about textile circularity. This initiative will bring forth innovative solutions that can help minimize textile waste and promote the use of sustainable materials in the industry. We are happy to announce that the finalist will get a platform to co-design pilot projects with ABFRL, which will be integrated into our supply chain. Moreover the pilot project will give them a boost to test and scale their innovation in the larger textile and apparel market”.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) sees immense value in public-private partnerships as a measure to attain the sustainable development agenda. Their DeveloPPP program supports this joint project between GIZ India and ABFRL on circularity in India’s textile and apparel sector. Meghana Kshirsagar, Senior Advisor Climate Change and Circular Economy at GIZ India, emphasises that this innovation challenge is one of their many upcoming initiatives to bring stakeholders from the textile ecosystem on one platform – innovators, designers, students, brands and industry, MSMEs, incubators, think-tanks and decisionmakers – so we can together showcase successful examples of circular approaches for the sector through effective collaboration.

Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director, Centre For Environment Education (CEE) says, “The textile industry is one of the largest sectors of our economy. The challenge is to achieve growth along with sustainability, through a circular economy model. The Innovation Challenge is meant to encourage and capture the creativity and innovations especially of our youth. 8 different categories have been identified in which participants can apply and it aims to introduce circular economy models at an industry level through the groundbreaking work of innovators. It’s a great platform to collaborate, contribute and co-create.”

Participants in this challenge will have a chance to co-design pilot projects with ABFRL, focusing on circularity and sustainability in textile and apparel, and to integrate their innovations into the supply chains of textile companies. The best innovative ideas will be presented to a broad network of industry stakeholders for possible linkages and collaborations.

ABFRL has collaborated with GIZ, to promote circular business practices in the Indian market. Implementing circular solutions in the textile and apparel linear value chain not only unlocks untapped commercial potential for existing stakeholders but also reduces the substantial carbon footprint of the industry. With GIZ’s support, ABFRL and other industry players can leverage circular business principles and implement technically superior and consumer-friendly procedures.

Innovators/startups can fill their nominations under various categories listed on the website. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded individuals and create a positive impact on the ecosystem.

The Challenge is open for virtual applications until April 25th, 2023, on the Leverist platform.