S06 Episode 278 | Why we must approach waste holistically & how Material Library Of India is reimagining & documenting neglected materials while advocating for systems change

<p class="" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">In episode 279, Kestrel welcomes Shubhi Sachan, a multidisciplinary designer and the the founder of Material Library of India, to the show. A research and design space, <a href="http://materiallibraryofindia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Material Library of India</a> is the first material library in India, and is focused on remodeling the use of industrial & agricultural waste materials, by combining the knowledge and skills of traditional crafts with modern materials.</p> <p><strong>"We are not talking about waste holistically. And to be able to get the best output in my experience when you’re working with recycling or post-consumer for any industry (not just picking on textile industry), you have to think about system change, because the more marriages you make while making that particular product or a material, the more complex the recycling cycle is. And the more complicated the recycling cycle is, the more difficult it is to get anything out of that, at the end of life.” -Shubhi</strong></p> <p class="" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">When we talk about *textile industry waste* – what comes to mind? For me, it’s fabric piling up, off-cuts scattered about, rolls and rolls of fabric, and heaps of garments that were overproduced and unsold.</p> <p class="">However – as our guest Shubhi reminds us – when we talk about *textile industry waste* we can’t just talk about textiles. The entire industry produces a lot more than just fabric in excess. From underwires to buttons to rivets to zippers … fashion uses materials like polymers, metal, rubber, adhesives, and of course - textiles.</p> <p class=""><strong>Basically, we are NOT talking about waste holistically.</strong></p> <p class="">And when we <em>are</em> thinking about solutions, yet again – the approach thus far has predominantly been <strong>reactionary</strong> instead of <strong>preventative</strong>. </p> <p class="">As Shubhi shares, in order to get the best output (meaning that at the end of life, there is the best pote