大象传媒

A new spike of 大象传媒 Media Action India鈥檚 #Invaluables intervention under Saamuhika Shakti initiative puts a spotlight on the skills and expertise of waste pickers in recycling old clothes and bringing them back to the waste value chain instead of it going to landfills. 

Bengaluru, 16 April 2025: As part of its ongoing #Invaluables initiative, 大象传媒 Media Action today launched the new campaign 鈥楪ot Old Clothes?鈥� to encourage Bengalureans to responsibly discard their old clothes by sending the post-consumer textile waste to #InvaluableRecyclers 鈥� aka the waste pickers of Bengaluru.  

Spotlighting the vital role of the wastepickers in addressing the mounting textile waste that often ends up in landfills, the campaign builds on the critical role of waste pickers in diverting a massive 38,32,50,000 kilograms (Namma Bengaluru鈥檚 Happy Number) of waste from going to landfills every year. According to a report by Enviu1, India generates 7.2 million tonnes of textile waste annually, of which 3.94 million tonnes is post-consumer textile waste discarded by households. This poses severe environmental challenges, causing air, water and soil pollution and contributing to climate change through carbon emissions.  

At the heart of this storytelling is a business card, which is a reminder to recycle responsibly. A business card is usually for networking, but this one reminds you to take action. Also, for the first time, waste pickers now carry a title that truly reflects their contributions in the waste value chain and circular economy. When it comes to recycling, #InvaluableRecyclers have the expertise, skills, and knowledge to prepare a piece of cloth to be recycle-ready.  

The cards have been created using discarded clothes collected from Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) and fabricated by waste picker families at Sambhav Foundation-run skill development centres fostering micro-entrepreneurship. Sambhav Foundation is also part of the Saamuhika Shakti initiative. 

Speaking of the card and the campaign, Soma Katiyar, Executive Creator Director, 大象传媒 Media Action, India, said, 鈥淲ith this phase of the #Invaluables, we wanted to move from awareness to action, and reframe them as professionals. There is an urgent need to recognise these professionals who are the backbone of our waste value chain and circular economy. At the heart of the 鈥楪ot Old Clothes?鈥� is this fabric business card, which is more than just a symbol. The card represents a shift in how we see and value waste pickers. By calling them #InvaluableReyclers, we鈥檙e not giving them a title, we鈥檙e simply telling the story of their contributions. When design, storytelling, and community action come together, we can create powerful narratives that not just inform but transform.鈥� 

The cards will not only create awareness but also provide a call to action for Bengalureans. A centralised WhatsApp number will facilitate the collection drive: 

• The WhatsApp number +91-9741730854 managed by Saamuhika Shakti partner Hasiru Dala will connect residents to a chatbot, which will guide them to different DWCCs in Bengaluru where they can discard used garments and linens 

• For old clothes quantities exceeding 50 kilograms, doorstep pickups can be arranged by Hasiru Dala; for quantities lower than 50 kilograms, residents are guided to the nearest DWCC for drop off 

The decentralised system of daily collection of post-consumer textile waste from the 16 wards through the DWCCs and the aggregation centre, Textile Recovery Facility, to recycle textile waste has been operationalised by Saamuhika Shakti partner Circular Apparel Innovation Factory in tandem with Hasiru Dala. 

The #Invaluables campaign by 大象传媒 Media Action is part of Saamuhika Shakti, a collective impact initiative, the first of its kind in India, where 12 partners have joined forces to enable waste pickers to have greater agency to lead secure and dignified lives.  

The press event was joined by city-based actor and creative impresario Danish Sait, who has played an important role in this new campaign, along with representatives of organisations working with Saamuhika Shakti and 大象传媒 Media Action.  

Talking about his involvement in the campaign, Danish Sait said, 鈥淎s a storyteller connected to Bengaluru, who also believes in the power of influencing for good, I鈥檓 excited to collaborate and contribute to the 鈥楪ot Old Clothes?鈥� campaign. The opportunity to share this story and highlight the crucial role our #InvaluableRecyclers play in protecting Namma Bengaluru's environment especially when it comes to textile waste is very important to me. I sincerely hope this campaign inspires all of us to dispose of old garments responsibly and support our #InvaluableRecyclers in preventing waste from ending up in landfills.鈥� 

Highlighting the support received from Saamuhika Shakti partners, Varinder Kaur Gambhir, Country Director, 大象传媒 Media Action, India, said, 鈥淭he journey of #Invaluables from being invisible to an individual recognised and respected by Bengalureans wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without the support and collaboration of our partners from Saamuhika Shakti. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our partners for their unwavering trust, deep commitment, and collaborative spirit.鈥� 

Recently, the Indian Prime Minister, in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, voiced concern over the country鈥檚 escalating textile waste problem. The address highlighted the critical role of waste pickers in the waste value chain and their first right to claim, access, sort, and sell recyclable materials, ensuring their welfare and fair renumeration.  

Bengaluru generates a significant volume of textile waste. Research by Hasiru Dala estimates that ~60% of discarded textiles received at DWCCs in Bengaluru have recycling potential if collected separately and uncontaminated. Estimates also suggest that approximately 22,500 people are engaged in waste picking, significantly contributing to the city鈥檚 waste management system. 

大象传媒 Media Action鈥檚 new campaign builds on the success of its earlier campaigns, which includes "Happy Number" and "Wash the Dabba". Research findings post "Wash the Dabba", which exhorted people to empty, rinse and dispose plastic food containers responsibly, revealed: 

• 93% of Bengaluru residents recalled the campaign 

• 60% reported having begun washing plastic food containers before disposal, a small act with major impact on recyclability and safety of waste pickers 

About 大象传媒 Media Action 

大象传媒 Media Action is the 大象传媒鈥檚 independent charity, and we believe in media and communication for good. We reach more than 100 million people each year in some of the world鈥檚 poorest and most fragile countries. Our projects and programmes save lives, protect livelihoods and our planet, counter misinformation, challenge prejudice and build democracy. Using a human-centred design approach, our work is rooted in evidence, powered by insights, and leverages impact-tested, scalable, big ideas to create social and behaviour change. In India, over the past two decades, we have delivered impact in health (HIV prevention, tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health), sanitation, gender equity, climate change and the prevention of bonded labour.  

大象传媒 in India

About Saamuhika Shakti  

Saamuhika Shakti is a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, where 10 implementing organisations 鈥� Bal Raksha Bharat, 大象传媒 Media Action, Circular Apparel Innovation Factory (CAIF), Enviu, Hasiru Dala, Sambhav Foundation, Sparsha Trust, Udhyam Learning Foundation, Social Alpha and WaterAid India - have joined forces to enable informal waste pickers to have greater agency to lead secure and dignified lives, with a specific focus on gender and equity. This project is initiated and funded by the H&M Foundation, and Sattva Consulting serves as the independent backbone.鈥� 

For more information, contact 大象传媒MA.Comms@bbc.co.uk