‘Handloom city’ Panipat weaves world’s largest recycling empire

Famed as the battlefield of empires, Panipat — known as the ‘handloom city’ — is fighting a new, greener war — and winning.

The city that stitched its name into history books through three monumental conflicts between the Marathas and the Mughals is now spinning a different yarn of revolution, emerging as the world’s largest recycling hub.

Industries here are recycling cast-off fabrics into global gold, without using any chemical dyes or wasting water.

The city produces over 30 lakh kg recycled yarn per day using discarded cloths.

The products made using this recycled yarn are supplied not just to domestic markets, but also to markets across the globe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 120th episode of the Mann Ki Baat programme, appreciated the recycling efforts of Panipat’s industries, saying the city was emerging as a global textile recycling hub.

“Panipat has set an example for other cities,” the PM said in the programme.

Pritam Sachdeva, former president of the Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industries and an advisor to the Northern India Roller Spinners’ Association, said Panipat had become the biggest recycling hub in the world.

Turkey previously held the title, he added.

Approximately 300 tonne discarded cloth was recycled daily in around 200 spinning mills of the district, he said.

Sanjay Gupta, president, Northern India Roller Spinners’ Association, said rags — including cotton, wool, and hosiery — were being imported at cheap rates from every corner of the world — including Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, France, Canada, Bangladesh, and the United States.

These rags were then turned into yarn and made into bath mats, bed sheets, bed covers, carpets, blankets, shawls, curtains and other handloom products, he added.

Panipat’s recycled yarn business began around 25 years ago, Gupta said. Approximately 15 tonne yarn was being manufactured in almost every unit daily, he added.

The establishment of 30-40 more units was in the works, he said, adding that the district’s spinning mills were providing employment to around 70,000 people.

Exporter Vinod Dhamija, Chairman, Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Panipat chapter, said almost 80-90 per cent of the recycled yarn produced in Panipat was exported.

According to Dhamija, discarded cloth was first separated by colour. White cloths were made into a separate type of yarn, known as ‘fresh’ yarn.

The discarded coloured cloths are used to make coloured yarn, used in manufacturing mink blankets, floor covering products and fabrics.

The by-product of this process births a type of yarn used to manufacture cheaper yarn — used to make floor coverings.

After these processes, recycled ‘dust’ is left — but even that does not go to waste. It is used to manufacture mattresses, and sofa stuffing.

Haryana Tribune