We work with brands and creators who often tell us,
“Our industry is about imagination, not waste.”
And it’s true that fashion and film are among the most powerful storytellers of our time. They set trends, build identity, and inspire billions.
But here’s the part that’s harder to talk about. The fashion sector throws away 92 million tonnes of textiles every year, most of it burned or buried in landfills (UNEP). And on the film side, just one big-budget production can release 2,840 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere. That’s the same as the annual emissions of more than 600 cars (wearealbert).
These are industries built on reinvention. Yet their environmental footprint still follows straight story that no longer fits the times or the future audiences expect.
💭Why Now?
On the movies side, global regulators are already moving. The European Commission’s “Greening the European Audiovisual Landscape” initiative now ties film funding and awards to environmental reporting (European Commission, 2023). In contrast, Bollywood, one of the largest film industries in the world, still operates without mandatory sustainability reporting or green certifications (SPRF, 2023). A few pioneering productions, like Aisa Yeh Jahaan (2015), have attempted carbon neutrality. But systemic frameworks are still missing.
The pressure isn’t coming only from policy. It’s cultural. Fashion brands and film studios that ignore circularity risk becoming irrelevant. Because today’s audiences don’t just buy into stories, they buy into values.
And here’s the catch. Waste doesn’t just disappear. It lingers. It leaks into land, water, and air. Every tonne of textile dumped or set material discarded adds up to an environmental tab that can’t be deferred.
The industries that once set the pace for culture now face a choice: adapt to circularity or risk being left behind.
🏭 Industry Snapshot
Movies face a similar challenge. In Ontario, Canada, productions generated over 314,000 kg of waste in a single reporting cycle. Even with a 72% diversion rate, nearly a third of the materials still ended up in landfills (Ontario Creates, 2023). In the US, zero waste set projects have shown that productions can divert up to 11 tonnes of material in just ten weeks by reusing props and donating supplies (Sustainable Brands, 2023).
India alone generates over 7.7 million tonnes of textile waste every year, including pre-consumer, domestic post consumer, and imported waste (Fashion for Good, 2022). At the same time, the global circular fashion market was valued at USD 6.4 billion in 2024, and it’s projected to more than double by 2033 (Custom Market Insights, 2024). The contrast is sharp: mountains of waste on one side, and a growing business case for circularity on the other.
🛣️ The Way Forward
Here’s the good news. Circularity isn’t just a buzzword anymore.
It’s happening. And fashion and film are two industries that can lead the way.
Circular practices don’t box in creativity; they stretch it. A designer can rethink fabrics. A director can breathe new life into sets. A producer can turn what used to be waste into resources with purpose.
This isn’t about compliance or ticking checklists. It’s about culture. It’s about proving that sustainability can be part of the narrative stitched into what we wear and built into what we watch.
Check Out AndPurpse Grants ➡️
💡 Spotlight: Juhu Beach Studio (JBS)
In Mumbai, Juhu Beach Studio is redefining how fashion waste can be transformed. Founded by designers Prakruthi Rao and Akshara Mehta, the label collects discarded textiles from local manufacturers and turns them into handcrafted pieces that carry both style and sustainability. Each creation is designed with reuse at its core, proving that waste can be raw material for innovation. By working closely with artisans and giving textile scraps a second life, JBS demonstrates how circular fashion can thrive at the intersection of design, community, and conscious consumption (The Better India, 2023)
🚨 Hottest Grants this Week
AndPurpose Grants
The Draper Richards Kaplan (DRK) Foundation offers up to USD 300,000 in grant funding or investment capital to early-stage social impact organizations ready to scale proven solutions. With hands-on support in strategy, fundraising, talent, and governance, DRK empowers ventures to expand sustainably while addressing urgent challenges. Applications are accepted
year-round for nonprofits and mission driven for-profits operating in select regions with measurable impact and scaling potential.
Deadline: No Fixed Deadline
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism supports investigative and enterprise reporting on business, finance, and economic issues. Journalists with at least five years of experience can apply for grants up to USD 15,000 to cover reporting costs, research, and living expenses. Freelancers and staff reporters alike are encouraged to submit proposals by October 13, 2025, with three samples and a resume showcasing their reporting expertise. Applications accepted year-round on a rolling basis, with funding tailored to each enterprise’s scaling needs.
Deadline: 13 October 2025
💭What’s Next ?
Fashion and Films don’t need to choose between creativity and responsibility. They can lead with both. These industries have always shaped culture; now, they can reshape it for a circular future.
The question isn’t whether circularity will matter. It’s how quickly we act on it.
As leaders, creators, and storytellers, we have a choice. We can keep following the old script, or we can write a new one, where waste is redesigned into value and sustainability becomes part of the story.
Which path will we take?
📢 Network Announcement
We’re proud to announce TiE Mumbai and the Khushiyaan Foundation as our official Network Partners for the Mumbai Forum. TiE Mumbai brings unparalleled expertise in entrepreneurship and innovation, while Khushiyaan Foundation adds depth with its community-driven impact programs. Together, they strengthen the Forum’s mission to connect ideas, leaders, and purpose for a more circular and sustainable future
Supporting Startups
🌎✈ India → US → Global!
We are proud to partner with TiE
Mumbai as an ecosystem partner for
their upcoming Annual Startup
Delegation to Bay Area (Oct 6–13, 2025).
Program benefits:
🍽 Closed-door investor meetings
with Greylock, Saama, Menlo, Storm
Ventures, FalconX, SOSV, Inventus
🏢Enterprise connects + accelerator
engagements
🎓Campus walks through Google,
OpenAI, NetApp, Stanford etc.
With Love & Purpose,
Team AndPurpose
