Waste from saris turned into carpets

The silk sari industry in South India is huge. A sari is about five to six metres in length, but when making a sari, about one to one and a half metres of silk fabric is wasted. An enterprising company has found ways to recycle this waste into new carpets.

Ishrat Sahgal is a 29 year old interior architect who has founded Mishcat Co. The company sorts sari waste into similar colours, then turns the material into yarn. Traditional weavers in Indian villages use the yarn to weave contemporary eco-friendly carpets.

The carpets use vibrant colours and intricate patterns. They are durable and easy to keep clean with regular vacuum cleaning. The carpets are sold in India and exported to Hong Kong, US, Dubai and Singapore.

The company incorporates eco principals in everything they do, including using no dyes and reusing the water that washes the textiles.

Ishrat says:

“When I came across this (waste) material it really bothered me. I was like, why are we throwing away this beautiful inspiring material where we can try and think of doing something with it.”

Mishcat carpets are not available in the UK, but there are plans to sell them in London. If you want more eco-friendly carpets from your Chester home or workplace, choose natural wool carpets made from British sheep wool. There are carpets made from reclaimed fishing nets and plastic bottles or choose luxury carpets made from cashmere goat hair. You can also buy more environmentally friendly underlays.