GeM–Textiles Committee MoU: Government Procurement Push for Recycled and Upcycled Textiles Environment, Economy and Government Procurement GS Paper III 5 September 2026 Read highlighted facts first FAST READ — read only this box if short on time
- Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and the Textiles Committee signed an MoU to promote recycled and upcycled textile products.
- Goal: create a Waste-to-Value-to-Market ecosystem.
- The Textiles Committee will help identify/certify producers, standardise and build capacity.
- GeM will support category creation, onboarding, market linkages and training.
- The model aims to benefit women, MSMEs, artisans, recyclers and local enterprises.
WHY IN NEWS
- The MoU was signed during the 62nd Foundation Day celebrations of the Textiles Committee in Mumbai.
- Government procurement can create reliable demand for circular products that otherwise struggle to find markets.
- The initiative links waste reduction with enterprise development and public purchasing.
TOP DATA & FACTS
- GeM operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- The Textiles Committee functions under the Ministry of Textiles.
- Textiles Committee was established in 1963 under the Textiles Committee Act, 1963.
- Headquarters: **Mumbai.
- Core concept**: Waste-to-Value-to-Market.
- Upcycling converts discarded material into products of equal or higher utility/value.
- Recycling generally processes waste into reusable material.
- Certification can reduce buyer uncertainty about quality.
- Government procurement can act as a demand-side policy tool.
- Hub-and-spoke outreach can connect dispersed small producers to a common market.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
- Public procurement in India traditionally focused on price, supply and procedural compliance.
- Digital procurement expanded transparency and seller access through GeM.
- Circular-economy policy increasingly seeks markets for recovered materials.