Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a statement about sustainability when he arrived at the Parliament on Wednesday, wearing a jacket made from recycled plastic bottles.
The sky-blue bandhgala jacket was produced under the ‘Unbottled’ initiative of Indian Oil, which launched uniforms made from recycled plastic at the India Energy Week 2023 in Bengaluru.
PM Modi linked India’s green growth and energy transition with the country’s values of a circular economy and the practice of reduce, reuse, and recycle.
The initiative to recycle plastic bottles into uniforms will support the Mission LiFE program. Indian Oil has adopted the use of uniforms made from recycled polyester and cotton for its retail customer attendants and LPG delivery personnel.
PM Modi said “These huge efforts of India towards green growth and energy transition also reflect our values. Circular economy, in a way, is a part of the lifestyle of every Indian. The mantra of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle has been ingrained in our values. Today, we got to see an example of this here. You have seen uniforms made by recycling plastic waste bottles. It does not lack anywhere as far as the world of fashion and beauty is concerned. The target of recycling 100 million such bottles every year will go a long way in protecting the environment.”
Each set of uniforms supports the recycling of 28 used plastic bottles. Indian Oil is expanding its sustainable garment initiative through the ‘Unbottled’ brand, which targets to meet the uniform requirements of other oil marketing companies, the non-combat uniforms of the army, and institutions. It is also selling its merchandise to retail customers.