For the last 25 years, Mohmad Masab, now 42, has been repairing clothes at Lajpat Nagar market in Delhi using traditional rafu—meticulous cloth repair. Sitting at a corner outside a dry cleaning shop, he skilfully breathes life into old and torn garments, ensuring they avoid the fate of becoming waste. A native of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh, Masab fixes about 60–70 pieces of clothing every month, unknowingly contributing to sustainability by reducing textile waste.

Masab is not alone in this quiet battle against waste. Ramvir, another rare craftsman, sits on the ground at Nehru Place, repairing zippers on school bags, jeans, and handbags for as little as Rs 10, saving lots of school bags, handbags, jeans, etc. to become waste. Ramvir, who learnt this trade from his father, started by charging just Rs 2 for his services. Although it has become a part-time business for him, Ramvir continues to work from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., preserving a skill that is vanishing fast.

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Passed down through the generations, rafugari’s art remains one of sustainable textile practices. This ancient technique is so well executed that clothes are almost unnoticeably repaired, effectively extending their lifespan and saving them from becoming waste in landfills.

Professor Madhav Govind of Jawaharlal Nehru University highlights the decrease in artisans like Masab and Ramvir due to changes in consumer behaviour. “In Delhi NCR, while you can get a garment for Rs 50, rafu often costs more,” he stated. He also added that people do not need it anymore as consumption patterns change. Without government support, this trade will soon be remembered only by books or become a museum exhibit.

Masab, reflecting on his work, admits that he is the last in his family to practise rafu. He no longer plans to pass on the skill, as it offers little financial reward. “We used to get contracts to repair expensive items like Pashmina shawls, but now only those with sentimental or high-value items seek us out,” he says. Ramvir echoes this sentiment, saying, “I do this for extra income, but it’s not enough to run a household. Still, I’m content with the work.”

These overlooked repair jobs are prime examples of sustainability in action. According to research, to make a single shirt, 2,700 litres of water are needed, and it takes years to decompose the same shirt. In addition to this, water, energy, and other resources are also consumed during its production. By opting for repair, people can significantly extend the lifespan of their garments, conserving resources and reducing carbon emissions.

Professor Govind also emphasises the difference between repair and recycling, often confused by the public. “Repair extends the life of an item with minimal resource use, while recycling transforms it into something entirely new, often requiring additional energy and resources,” he explains. Though recycling helps reduce waste, it may or may not be as sustainable as repair.

India is the second largest global fibre manufacturer after China, and therefore it creates a significant amount of waste. Synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon or spandex are popular MMFs that are produced from petroleum and contribute to environmental pollution. Polyester constitutes more than 3/4 of India’s total synthetic filament production, which exceeds 3,000 million kg per year. The annual depletion of resources due to polyester alone amounts to about 342 million barrels of oil.

In addition to this, the country produces 7,793 kilotonnes of textile waste, of which 3,944 is post-consumer textile waste. Nearly 34 per cent, or 1,347 kilotonnes, of post-consumer textile waste is in landfills. About 51 per cent of this waste originates from post-consumer sources, like discarded clothing, while 42 per cent comes from pre-consumer waste generated during production, such as fabric offcuts and yarn scraps and the remaining 7 per cent is imported. Depending on the nature of the fabric, some textile waste can take over 200 years to decompose in landfills.

According to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ 2022 report, “Circular Economy in Municipal Solid and Liquid Waste”, Out of the 47,860.15 tonnes of dry waste generated daily in 2021, textiles accounted for 15 per cent, making them the third largest dry waste stream after plastics (45 per cent) and paper/cardboard (21 per cent). Alarmingly, only 30 per cent of this textile waste was recovered, indicating a significant gap in waste management efforts.

In this context, the role of local repair shops and skilled artisans becomes increasingly important. These artisans help in addressing waste challenges by providing practical solutions towards a circular economy. This can inspire people’s appreciation for ancient skills and consequently make them support these trades.

Rafu is not just an art technique that preserves cultural heritage but also provides a response to the burning issue of textile waste. Repairing and reusing garments has lost its value in today’s world dominated by fast fashion. Despite that, individuals like Masab still adhere to these practices, making them essential for sustainable development purposes.

The ministry of textile thus revised its interim budget by 26 per cent in the FY 2024 budget period while considering provisions made for this. In addition to this, the upper house also raised a concern over a lack of data on textile waste and therefore sought a state-wise report of textile waste generated to tackle the problem.

While talking to Chintan, a two-decade-old environmental NGO in Delhi is working in the waste management sector and has trained around 200 women in the art of mending. In their door-to-door waste collection scheme, they frequently receive items such as socks, handkerchiefs, and damaged lingerie, which present significant challenges for reuse or recycling due to their composition and scale.

Chintan emphasises the need for improved and localised recycling technology for such textiles. By focussing on repairing rather than replacing garments, we can extend their lifespan, conserve resources, and reduce methane emissions from decomposing textiles in landfills. Chintan advocates for giving repair a more prominent platform and encourages traditional mending methods like rafu. Despite its invisibility, the value of this craft lies in its ability to extend the life of textiles, making it an essential part of sustainable living,“ they added.