Page 26 - U4SSC Case study: Re-use of consumer goods and tools loaning, June 2020

Figure 6: Examples of discarded textiles

Promoting circularity

Vision and content

In the present-day scenario, the preservation of the environment is of primary concern across the
globe. Recycling, restoring and re-using are the ways to reduce waste creation. New, usable products
can be generated with the resources already available, thus minimising carbon footprints. Restoration,
re-using and recycling have been embedded in the Indian culture since the very beginning.

1. Kantha is a traditional art of West Bengal in India. During ancient times, the women of Bengal
stacked layers of old, used sarees (traditional Indian female dress), and bound them together with
simple hand stitches thus creating beautiful, quilts or other usable articles, depending upon the
size. Motifs used were taken from the flora and fauna, everyday life and epics. These discarded
sarees were thus converted into heirlooms, which were durable and also great pieces of art. Kantha
is also called ‘Needle Painting’.

20 Case study: Re-use of consumer goods and tools loaning, June 2020