Switch-Asia - Switching to Green & Fair Fashion
Advancing sustainable production and consumption in cotton & textile value chains in India.
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This project is co-funded by the European Union. Timeline of grant: 2022 to 2026 |
Project description:
The project's objective is to promote adoption of sustainable production in India’s cotton textiles sector so it becomes mainstream. This will include creating an enabling environment for this to thrive, supporting green business development, and improving access to green finance.
The project will work at its core with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to adopt sustainable processes, including reduction of water and toxic chemical use, as well as assuring product traceability and whether they are part of certification schemes.
Pilot projects take place on resource efficiency and reducing environmental footprint. In additiontraining sessions on sustainability certifications will be provided to cotton and textiles Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Key objectives.
• Improved the capacity of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the textile sector and cotton farmers in India to adopt more environmentally and socially sustainable production practices
• Establishing market links between brands and retailers in India and the EU through events,
• Developing campaigns to inform consumers in India and Europe, and improve access to sustainably produced textiles.;
• Increasing integration of sustainability parameters in operational and reporting mechanisms to support greater adoption of sustainability practices by textile MSMEs; environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations are integrated and access to finance facilitated;
• Supporting the Government of India to incorporate Green and Fair Public Procurement practices – based on good practices achieved by Fairtrade at EU and Member States level.
A project in direct connection to the European Green Deal, Circular Economy and Climate Change.
The project addresses EU priority issues as part of the Green Deal and Circular Economy Strategy. It contributes to economic prosperity and poverty reduction by securing and improving employment for sector workers, while improving their and surrounding communities’ health. By also targeting the Indian exports to Europe, it considers EU Trade policy which prioritises sustainability aspects.
In addition, the project is aligned with two policy focus areas of the European Green Deal:
• Eliminating pollution: keep water streams clean and preserve biodiversity in lakes, rivers and wetlands.
• Sustainable product policy: support the circular design of all products and reduce waste significantly, especially in resource-intensive sectors such as the textile industry.
The project further applies components from the ESG reporting requirements under the EU Green Deal and India’s National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct.
Project Partners:
Lead Applicant:
- Fairtrade International
Co-applicants: