Fashionable vs. Planet-friendly: Not a Catch-22

Most of us buy clothes by design, colour, fit, style, occasion and other such factors. But what about eco-friendliness of the garment draped on that hanger? 

How do buyers opt for fashion that does not waste energy or water, that does not add to the waste burden, that does not contribute to climate change? And what can manufacturers and labels do to ensure that the clothes we wear are indeed sustainable from nature’s point of view? 

Here are some answers from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL), one of India’s largest players in the fashion sector. In 2013, ABFRL launched its sustainability roadmap – appropriately called ReEarth -- to ensure that your fashion choices are more planet-friendly.

As a responsible fashion company, ABFRL has invested not just in fashion designers and fabric, but also in renewable energy, wastewater treatment, rainwater harvesting and much more, to make fashion more ecofriendly. 

This is what ReEarth has accomplished*:

Your wardrobe does not lead to more waste

Through a focused waste management approach, ABFRL has achieved zero waste disposed to landfills, an admirable milestone as the company offers some of India’s most popular brands, runs over 1,100 stores, and generates over ₹7,000 crore in business. The fashion powerhouse has set in place measures that trace waste and adopted several initiatives for a circular economy.

Even the packaging is more sustainable -- biodegradable polybags, use of recycled paper board, recyclable plastic, and so on. ABFRL has achieved over 90% as sustainability packaging, and is aiming for higher.  
 

Your apparel does not contribute to climate change

From renewable energy to green buildings, the Group’s fashion businesses (ABFRL and ABLBL) have gone all out to cut down the carbon footprint of its operations. As much as 68% of energy across ABFRL’s owned facilities is from renewable sources!  And over 12 lakh sq. feet of the two companies’facilities are green building certified. That’s green energy driving your colourful couture choices!  
 

Your garments do not add to water usage

Instead of consuming more community or municipal water, ABFRL has increased its capacity for rainwater collection, which now contributes 53% of water use! The company also recycles up to 68% wastewater (which is treated and reused in operations)– that’s more than ever before. ABFRL is in fact water positive across its owned facilities. 
 

Your clothes help the community

ABFRL works with communities to improve opportunities and access to education, health and sanitation, livelihoods, etc. – touching more than 300,000 lives. Programmes include skill training for rural youth, extra coaching for students for higher education, supporting villages in digitalisation, establishing water ATMS in villages, and many more.  
 

Your choices can be both fashionable and sustainable

ReEarth has taken ABFRL a long way down the sustainability journey. The company

 secured a score of 82/100 in S&P CSA ranking in 2024 – the highest score in India and fourth highest score globally in the retail sector.

What ReEarth has helped create is a sustainable value chain for fashion choices. The good news for those who shop, is that clothes can indeed be planet-friendly.

*Pre-demerger into ABFRL and ABLBL