Indian textile industry, represented by SIMA, is urging the government to remove 11 per cent import duty on cotton and cotton waste in the upcoming budget. It seeks a classification for sustainable recycled textiles, amendments in the Foreign Trade Policy for smoother raw material supply and proposes a new Technology Mission on Cotton among other things...............

The consumption of recycled apparel items has grown in western markets, prompting local traders to ship the expensive raw materials directly to other countries, particularly India, China and Turkey. In July-December of the current financial year of 2023-24, cotton waste export rose 72.15 percent year-on-year to $264.05 million, data from the Export Promotion Bureau showed.................