The paradox is real, but the numbers measure different things
India generates an estimated *.*** million tonnes of textile waste annually, according to the Ministry of Textiles’ February **** mapping study. Post-consumer material accounts for *.* million tonnes, or ** per cent, and *.*** million tonnes of it is incinerated or landfilled.
The often-cited ***,***-tonne import figure is not a latest-year customs total. It is the study’s estimate of net imported waste available to India’s sorting and recycling system, covering second-hand clothing, rags and several fibre-waste categories. In May, the Ministry clarified that imports represent only about * per cent of the roughly *.* million tonnes handled annually. India is therefore not principally recycling foreign waste; the sharper question is why even a small, imported stream can be more usable than millions of tonnes generated at home.
Texpro shows the trade is still growing
