MAINSTREAMING CIRCULARITY

FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET

About CAIF

CAIF is an industry-led initiative, a common action platform, born to accelerate the transition of the fashion industry across the global south to become resource-efficient and responsible by creating sustained green livelihoods.

Our Purpose​ 

To help build a planet (resource efficient) and people positive (responsible) textiles and apparel industry in the global south*​ (*global south: South Asia, SE Asia, Africa)

Our Mission

To build the Ecosystem & capabilities to accelerate the transition to a ​ circular textile and apparel economy​

About CAIF

Vector 218 (Stroke)
CAIF is an industry-led initiative, a common action platform, born to accelerate the transition of the fashion industry across the global south to become resource-efficient and responsible by creating sustained green livelihoods.

Our Purpose​ 

Vector 218 (Stroke)
To help build a planet (resource efficient) and people positive (responsible) textiles and apparel industry in the global south*​
(*global south: South Asia, SE Asia, Africa)

Our Mission

Vector 218 (Stroke)
To build the Ecosystem & capabilities to accelerate the transition to a ​ circular textile and apparel economy​

Accelerated

DECARBONIZATION

of supply chains

Pathways:
  • Establish business case
  • Build capabilities of demand-and supply-side actors
  • Catalyze capital to decarbonize supply chain

Renewables
Energy

Resources Efficiency

Material

Innovation

Click to see
project details

Accelerated

DECARBONIZATION

of supply chains

Pathways:
  • Establish business case
  • Build capabilities of demand-and supply-side actors
  • Catalyze capital to decarbonize supply chain

Renewables
Energy

Resources Efficiency

Material

Innovation

Click to see
project details

Accelerated

DECARBONIZATION

of supply chains

Pathways:
  • Establish business case
  • Build capabilities of demand-and supply-side actors
  • Catalyze capital to decarbonize supply chain

Renewables
Energy

Resources Efficiency

Material

Innovation

Click to see
project details

Accelerating

DECARBONIZATION

of supply chains

Pathways:
  • Establish business case
  • Build capabilities of demand-and supply-side actors
  • Catalyze capital to decarbonize supply chain

Renewables
Energy

Resources Efficiency

Material

Innovation

Click to see
project details

Closing

MATERIAL LOOPS

across value chains

Pathways:
  • Build circular value chains
  • Develop market for circular materials
  • Catalyze capital to finance transition to circularity

Textiles

Plastics

Regenerative
Materials

Click to see
project details

Enabling

GREEN JOBS

for workers

Pathways:
  • Create demand for circular and green skills
  • ⁠Improve livelihoods of waste workers through job-specific skills training for circular and green job roles
  • Empower waste workers by enhancing access to dignified green jobs

Capability
building

Micro- entrepreneurship

Agency & Resilience

Click to see
project details

Current Opportunities

As part of our program initiatives we work closely with on-ground partners. Following are opportunities we are seeking
partnerships for:

Ref. No. Opportunity Estimated Start Date Status Application form
CAIF/2025 SOW01 Knowledge delivery
support for capacity
building workshops		 15 April 2025 Planned
Ref. No. Opportunity Estimated Start Date Status Application form
CAIF/2025 SOW01 Knowledge delivery support for capacity building workshops 15 April 2025 Planned

Procurement Process

CAIF follows a structured and responsible procurement process designed to ensure transparency and fairness. While engagements are often based on unique capabilities and demonstrated expertise, all procurement activities are carried out with a strong commitment to integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Contact for

Procurement Queries 

  • +91 889 999 7777
  • caifprocurement@intellecap.com
Intellecap is the advisory arm of The Aavishkaar Group, which works to build businesses that can benefit the underserved segments across Asia and Africa. Founded in 2002, Intellecap works across critical sectors like Agriculture, Livelihoods, Climate Change, Clean Energy, Financial Services, Gender & Inclusion, Healthcare, Water and Sanitation.
  • caifprocurement.intellecap.com 
  • caifprocurement@intellecap.com

Project ACE - Accelerating Circular Economy 

Project ACE helps brands, manufacturers, and innovators pilot scalable, low-carbon
solutions that reduce environmental impact and drive operational efficiency.

Project ACE is a platform for brands, manufacturers, and solution providers to pilot and scale high-impact, low-carbon innovations. With a focus on alternative materials, water management, energy efficiency, process optimization, and sustainable dyes and chemicals, the program aims to drive significant reductions in carbon footprint while improving operational efficiency.

For Brands and Manufacturers: Project ACE offers access to pre-vetted circular innovations, hands-on support for pilot implementation, and guidance on building scalable, commercially viable models for long-term growth. It connects businesses with cutting-edge solutions and provides a clear path to commercial adoption.

For Innovators / Solution Providers: The program connects innovators with leading brands and manufacturers,

supporting real-world pilots to validate solutions. It also provides critical support in capacity building, financial planning, and commercialization, helping innovators scale their impact and reach new markets.

Key Success Metrics from our pilots include: 

100% mapping of textile waste streams 

100% adoption of
bio-based materials 

45-70% improvement in energy efficiency 

Up to 95% water recovery 

~50% reduction in effluent generation 

Up to 65% recycled materials used in production 

Switch Asia - Catalyzing the green transition of India’s Textile & Apparel value chain

An initiative to climate-proof MSMEs in the textile and apparel value chain through capacity
building, circular innovation, and green finance access.

This 42-month program aims to create impact at scale by climate-proofing MSMEs in the textile and apparel value chain. It focuses on building capabilities within MSMEs to understand and adopt circular economy principles, set and track decarbonization goals, and report ESG-relevant indicators. This is achieved through a mix of in-person, virtual, and hybrid workshop formats, along with supplier development programs that help brands decarbonize their supply chains. The program also emphasizes tailored support for women-owned MSMEs, addressing their unique business and financing needs.

To drive technology adoption, the program provides structured showcases for circular and low-carbon solutions, including alternative fuels, energy efficiency, and water efficiency. It facilitates demonstration pilots to establish the business case for these solutions, enabling brands and manufacturers to assess their commercial viability.

In addition to technical support, the program supports MSMEs with access to green financing through affiliate partners like Aavishkaar Capital. It includes credit profiling, preliminary due diligence to inform investment decisions, and the promotion of gender-intentional financial instruments to support the growth of women-led MSMEs, which comprise a critical but underrepresented segment of the T&A value chain.

Key Outcomes expected:

250–400 suppliers supported with capacity building on the basics of decarbonization & finance linkages for green solution adoption
50-75 suppliers supported with technical assistance in building decarbonization roadmaps & uptake of suitable low-carbon solutions
16-18 highly relevant low-carbon solutions showcased through workshops and demos. Indicative solutions include alternative fuels (biomass), rooftop solar, energy efficiency & mgmt., water mgmt., alternative materials, plastics, sustainable chemicals, etc.

The program is expected to enable 5 – 10% emission reduction in 3 – 5 clusters by 2030

Closing the Loop on Textile Waste

A multi-year, multi-stakeholder initiative to recover and reclaim value from post-consumer
textile waste in India while improving the lives and livelihoods of waste workers through
green entrepreneurship and jobs creation

The CTL program has taken a place-based circular economy approach for long-term adaptive resilience within the system. The program has set out to accomplish 3 larger goals:

    1. Turn post-consumer textile waste into a valuable resource and raw material: Combining venture building with micro-entrepreneurship and skill building for waste workers, we aim to create a new plug-and-play model for the textile industry to increase its capacity to collect, sort, segregate and re-use or recycle waste and ensure zero waste to landfill.
    2. Create green livelihoods for waste workers: Designing waste workers into this new model by ensuring that they have the skills, market linkages and capital needed to improve their livelihoods or build micro-enterprises that benefit them while positively impacting the environment and the textile industry.
    3. Create traceability and measurability of waste: Leveraging technology to ensure that all waste entering the model is traceable and measurable to establish a first-of-its-kind dataset on waste types, quantities, and flows and ensure compliance for brands and their suppliers.

Program Highlights

2.7 million kg (till date) of post-consumer textile waste diverted from going to landfills.

Impacted 2400 lives through capacity building and direct employment creation.

Supported 40+ waste entrepreneurs.

Capacity building: A pool of waste workers with access to maket informed skills and better working conditions

Knowledge Creation and Dissemination: Building evidence for scalable and replicable circular textile waste management models, creating practical insights and tools for the broader ecosystem.

Key Intervention Areas:

  • A pan-India network of Textile Recovery Facilities (TRFs) run by waste entrepreneurs as viable businesses with deep engagement with waste workers
  • Access to Market Linkages: Integration of ecosystem players with clear value propositions to engage
  • Capacity building: A pool of waste workers with access to maket informed skills and better working conditions
  • Providing technical guidance and support to waste management enterprises/waste entrepreneurs, helping them establish viable textile waste management businesses that create local green jobs
  • Knowledge Creation and Dissemination: Building evidence for scalable and replicable circular textile waste management models, creating practical insights and tools for the broader ecosystem.

A pan-India network of Textile Recovery Facilities (TRFs) run by waste entrepreneurs as viable businesses with deep engagement with waste workers

Access to Market Linkages: Integration of ecosystem players with clear value propositions to engage

Capacity building: A pool of waste workers with access to maket informed skills and better working conditions

Providing technical guidance and support to waste management enterprises/waste entrepreneurs, helping them establish viable textile waste management businesses that create local green jobs

Knowledge Creation and Dissemination: Building evidence for scalable and replicable circular textile waste management models, creating practical insights and tools for the broader ecosystem.

UNIDO Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains

Building a scalable model for sustainable waste recovery in Bangladesh’s RMG sector,
integrating 200+ suppliers and 500,000 garment workers to create circular, socially
responsible value chains.

This initiative aims to create sustainable, socially responsible waste recovery systems in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector by integrating 200+ suppliers, 500,000 garment workers (mostly women), and global brands like H&M. It focuses on building local capacity for circularity by supporting MSMEs, promoting ethical supply chain practices, and developing innovative business models for textile and plastic waste recycling.

Key Intervention Areas:

  • Industry Collaboration and Ecosystem Building: Fostering industry-wide collaboration to influence policy on chemical textile-to-textile recycling, creating an enabling environment for circular business models.
  • Capacity Building for MSMEs: Supporting MSMEs with training in ethical supply chain practices, business model development, and waste management to scale their recycling capabilities.
  • Technology Commercialization: Demonstrating the commercial viability of chemical recycling technology (CIRC) in Bangladesh’s RMG sector – the first of its kind in the global south.
  • Alignment with EPR and Financial Mechanisms: Building the capabilities of plastic waste management enterprises to align with upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and capitalize on voluntary financing mechanisms, such as plastic credits.

Industry Collaboration and Ecosystem Building: Fostering industry-wide collaboration to influence policy on chemical textile-to-textile recycling, creating an enabling environment for circular business models.

Capacity Building for MSMEs: Supporting MSMEs with training in ethical supply chain practices, business model development, and waste management to scale their recycling capabilities.

Technology Commercialization: Demonstrating the commercial viability of chemical recycling technology (CIRC) in Bangladesh’s RMG sector – the first of its kind in the global south.

Alignment with EPR and Financial Mechanisms: Building the capabilities of plastic waste management enterprises to align with upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and capitalize on voluntary financing mechanisms, such as plastic credits.

Saamuhika shakti

An initiative to recover and reclaim value from textile waste while creating sustainable
livelihoods for waste picker communities in Bengaluru, with a focus on women and youth.

As part of the Saamuhika Shakti initiative, CAIF is implementing a Circular Textile Waste Management (CTWM) model in Bengaluru to recover and reclaim value from textile waste while creating sustainable livelihoods for waste picker communities. The model focuses on economic empowerment and alternate livelihoods for women from waste-picker families, supporting their transition to better jobs.
This initiative is a critical part of the Closing the Loop program, supporting economic empowerment and creating pathways for sustainable, dignified livelihoods.

Program Highlights

Diverted 204,000 kg of post-consumer textile waste from Bengaluru landfills (Feb 2023 - Aug 2024).

Created ~60 jobs for waste pickers and waste entrepreneurs, including 21 women, in roles like collectors, sorters, and drivers.

Upskilled or reskilled 200+ waste pickers (170+ women) and 12 women from waste picker families in CTWM operations, sorting, and upcycling.

Established markets for recyclable textiles (50% of collected waste), collaborating with recyclers in Panipat and Tiruppur to improve recycling outcomes.

Implemented door-to-door textile waste collection for 180,000 households across eight wards, supported by awareness campaigns for better segregation

Key Activities

  • Supporting Waste Entrepreneurs: Building circular businesses through citizen awareness, collection, sorting, and selling of textile waste.
  • Hub and Spoke Model: Establishing a central Textile Recovery Facility (hub) for aggregation and sorting, supported by 16 Dry Waste Collection Centres (spokes).
  • Market Linkages: Creating market connections to ensure the sustainability of waste enterprises
  • Capacity Building: Training waste workers to improve their skills and employability.
  • Financial Access: Piloting innovative financing solutions to support microentrepreneurs.

Supporting Waste Entrepreneurs: Building circular businesses through citizen awareness, collection, sorting, and selling of textile waste.

Hub and Spoke Model: Establishing a central Textile Recovery Facility (hub) for aggregation and sorting, supported by 16 Dry Waste Collection Centres (spokes).

Market Linkages: Creating market connections to ensure the sustainability of waste enterprises

Capacity Building: Training waste workers to improve their skills and employability.

Financial Access: Piloting innovative financing solutions to support microentrepreneurs.

Oporajita

Empowering women garment workers for a future defined by automation, circularity, and
sustainability, with a focus on skills development, circular micro-entrepreneurship, and job
creation

Project Oporajita is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to prepare women garment workers for a rapidly changing industry, ensuring they have the skills, agency, and economic opportunities needed for a secure and resilient future. Aligned with CAIF’s mission for a responsible and resource-efficient Textile & Apparel sector, the project brings together 12 organizations working on complementary intervention areas through an ecosystem approach.

Key Intervention Areas:

  • Skills Development: Providing targeted skills training to enable out-of-work women garment workers to access circular and green job roles in RMG, allied, and emerging sectors
  • Circular Micro-Entrepreneurship: Supporting women-led micro-enterprises focused on circular business models, creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
  • Innovation Support: Identifying and nurturing high-potential circular innovations that enhance the competitiveness of the RMG sector and create green jobs.
  • Ecosystem Enablement: Building the necessary ecosystem support to operationalize circular micro-enterprises, including technical guidance, financial linkages, and market connections.
  • Scaling Impact: Promoting innovations that drive circularity, improve women's employability, and contribute to a resilient textile ecosystem.

Skills Development:Providing targeted skills training to enable out-of-work women garment workers to access circular and green job roles in RMG, allied, and emerging sectors

Circular Micro-Entrepreneurship: Supporting women-led micro-enterprises focused on circular business models, creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Innovation Support: Identifying and nurturing high-potential circular innovations that enhance the competitiveness of the RMG sector and create green jobs.

Ecosystem Enablement:Building the necessary ecosystem support to operationalize circular micro-enterprises, including technical guidance, financial linkages, and market connections.

Scaling Impact:Promoting innovations that drive circularity, improve women's employability, and contribute to a resilient textile ecosystem.

Project Oporajita is committed to building a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient future for women garment workers, ensuring they can thrive in a rapidly changing industry.

Program Highlights
  • 58% of out-of-work WGWs who completed their skill training got back to their jobs, and after job placement, reported that 32% increased their income.