Tata Power’s Anokha Dhaaga Smart Circularity Programme Converts 5,000 Kgs of Plastic Waste into Livelihood for Women

In a compelling demonstration of circularity in action, Tata Power’s micro-entrepreneurship initiative under the Anokha Dhaaga Smart Circularity programme has transformed over 5,000 kgs of single-use plastic waste into high-quality, recycled fabric products. Spearheaded by women across six centres, the initiative not only addresses the urgent challenge of plastic pollution but also empowers local communities, generating over INR 20 lakhs in fair-trade earnings for women entrepreneurs.

The programme strengthens Tata Power’s commitment to make #SustainableisAttainable. It also integrated denim donations, giving a renewed purpose to pre-loved garments and extending the lifecycle of used clothes.

Launched in alignment with the Tata Group’s Project Aalingana and Tata Power’s commitment to circular economy solutions, this initiative resonates strongly with the spirit of World Environment Day 2025 and its theme, “End Plastic Pollution.” It reinforces the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign by spotlighting how sustainable innovation and community empowerment can jointly address the plastic crisis, restore ecosystems, and generate lasting socio-environmental impact. As World Environment Day 2025 calls for a global rethink of plastic use, rooted in growing scientific evidence on its harm, this initiative embodies the call to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink plastics use.

The project began with a city-wide plastic collection drive across Tata Power’s Trombay plant, residential colonies, and Tata Group and Tata Power offices in Mumbai. Employees and families actively participated, helping divert a significant quantity of plastic waste from landfills. Through a collaboration with ReCircle, a leading circular waste management social enterprise, and their ‘Safai Saathis’ (sanitation workers), the collected waste were converted into RPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) fabric.

Women associated with Anokha Dhaaga were then trained to design and produce sustainable goods from the recycled fabric. Their craftsmanship resulted in thousands of finished products, offering a diverse range, including T-shirts, tote bags, and haversacks. The initiative successfully fulfilled major institutional orders through large-scale B2B synergies.

Under its flagship initiative #SustainableisAttainable Tata Power has been leading the movement towards sustainable living, inclusive growth, and climate-conscious innovation. By making green energy solutions accessible and easy to adopt, Tata Power is ensuring a seamless transition to sustainable living in the country, and has also popularised the availability and benefits of green energy adoption.

The Anokha Dhaaga Smart Circularity programme is a natural extension of this. It promotes a vision where circular innovation and grassroots empowerment converge, offering scalable solutions to minimize waste, regenerate ecosystems, and pave the way for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future, bringing to life the theme of World Environment Day 2025.

Part of Tata Power’s larger CSR framework, Anokha Dhaaga empowers over 30,000 women across 9 states, offering training, market linkages, and entrepreneurship opportunities. What began as a small micro-collective in Mulshi, Maharashtra, has grown into a national movement instilling confidence in community women and enabling them to create eco-friendly indigenous products, from home décor and office stationery to nutritious millet-based cookies.

Tata Power continues to lead the way in sustainable innovation through inclusive, community-led initiatives. By turning waste into opportunity, the company is not just reducing its environmental footprint but also building scalable, replicable models for green livelihoods. As it expands such efforts across its ecosystem, Tata Power reaffirms its commitment to shaping a cleaner, greener, and more equitable future.