India Becomes New Hub for Circular Denim with Launch of ‘India Denim Deal Hub’
04 September 2025: Global push for sustainable fashion has taken a decisive step in India with the launch of the India Denim Deal Hub, a joint initiative designed to accelerate textile recycling and circular business models in the country’s denim sector.
The new platform is a collaboration between the Denim Deal, the European circularity alliance, the Global Alliance for Textile Sustainability (GATS) and Bangalore-based innovation studio Enviu Textiles. The initiative aims to make India a frontrunner in fibre-to-fibre recycled cotton production, supporting a shift toward fully circular denim manufacturing.
According to Denim Deal, Nicolas Prophte, a board member of the initiative, highlighted that India possesses both the scale and expertise to emerge as a global leader in fibre-to-fibre recycled cotton. He noted that the country could play a transformative role in embedding circular practices within the denim industry and setting benchmarks that drive the adoption of sustainable materials worldwide.
A Platform for Collaboration
The India Denim Deal Hub will act as a bridge between brands, manufacturers, recyclers, startups, and policymakers, encouraging cross-industry collaboration. It will focus on:
– Creating infrastructure for closed-loop denim production
– Scaling pre- and post-consumer textile waste recycling
– Supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in adopting sustainable models
– Advocating for policies that accelerate the circular economy in textiles
Partner Roles and Contributions
– GATS, an industry-led non-profit, specialises in guiding Indian MSMEs toward more sustainable supply chains, while also working with governments on circularity frameworks and offering training for manufacturers.
– Enviu Textiles, known for building entrepreneurial solutions with social and environmental impact, brings innovation through projects like ReTex, which repurposes discarded hotel linens into new textile products.
Global Vision with Local Impact
The India Denim Deal Hub builds on the foundation of the Denim Deal initiative launched in Amsterdam in 2020. That program set an ambitious goal: to produce one billion jeans with at least 20 percent post-consumer recycled cotton by 2030. With more than 50 global partners, including leading denim mills such as Bossa, Iskur, Kipas and Naveena, the initiative has already expanded into France earlier this year.
Shaping a Circular Future for Fashion
By embedding circularity into India’s denim sector, stakeholders believe the hub can serve not only as a national model but also as a blueprint for other textile-producing countries. The effort is expected to reduce dependency on virgin cotton, lower textile waste, and cut greenhouse gas emissions linked to denim manufacturing.
As the world’s second-largest denim producer, India now has the opportunity to redefine how fashion is made and consumed. With international and domestic collaboration, the country could help set a global standard for sustainable textile production – where recycling becomes the rule rather than the exception.
