Arpan Centres in Delhi turn 41 tonnes of old clothes into rugs, bags, pouches

More than 41 tonnes of old clothes have been collected from 10 Arpan Centres set up at Delhi Metro stations, with the discarded garments being reused, upcycled and recycled into products such as rugs, bags, pouches and folders.

According to data till August 31, as many as 3,940 people had deposited 41,181.59 kg of clothes at the centres. The highest collection was recorded at the Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital Metro station at 9,861.40 kg, followed by Shalimar Bagh with 9,761.03 kg.

Punjabi Bagh West collected 6,534.98 kg, Shahdara 6,386.08 kg, Mayur Vihar-I 5,189.40 kg, Hauz Khas 1,680.70 kg, Dwarka-Kakrola 689.40 kg, Malviya Nagar 467.40 kg, Lajpat Nagar 395.70 kg and Mohan Estate 215.50 kg.

Five centres were launched on August 3, while the remaining centres became operational on August 12 and 17. The initiative provides Delhi residents an avenue to dispose of unwanted clothes responsibly rather than sending them to landfills.

Of the collected material, around 4,266 kg has been earmarked for reuse and upcycling, while 29,424 kg has been sent for recycling. Self-help groups are converting the material into useful products, including rugs, folders, key rings, pouches, bags and torans, which are also being displayed at the centres.

The initiative has also generated Rs 27,036 in sales through products made from the collected clothes, creating a system in which discarded garments are given a second life.

To expand the initiative, 10 more Arpan Centres are proposed to be opened in January 2027 at Model Town, INA, IP Extension, Paschim Vihar West, Rajendra Place, Janakpuri West, Rajouri Garden, Greater Kailash, Dwarka Sector 10 and Chhatarpur Metro stations.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative offered a practical solution for disposing of old clothes while ensuring their maximum utilisation through reuse and recycling.

“The participation of Delhi residents can help expand this system further. Our effort is to make it easy and convenient for people to donate old clothes and ensure their maximum utilisation, thereby further strengthening efforts to make Delhi cleaner, more beautiful and greener,” she said.