In the time you take to read this sentence more than 12,000 cigarette butts would have been trashed in India. Explaining what a massive challenge they pose to the environment, founder and director of Code Effort, Naman Gupta says that 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are disposed of globally every year, of which a 100 billion are in India.
This is why Code Effort focusses on finding practical ways to upcycle them. Which led to an intriguing collaboration with Reliance Retail, resulting in Lee Cooper’s latest launch: jeans made from cigarette butts.
“We’re rewriting the fashion playbook by turning unusable into sustainable” says Jayesh Sali, head of marketing at Reliance Retail (Fashion & Lifestyle). Explaining that each pair of jeans is made from about 600 cigarette butts, he says, “We realise that we need to recycle them and eliminate them from our environment. So we worked with Code Effort to create an innovative product.”
Explaining the process, Naman says they work with associates in about 250 districts to collect discarded cigarette butts. “We have developed a system to recycle all the components, plus the effluents that it traps which are often hazardous and can destroy the ecosystem,” he states, adding that the fibre is thoroughly cleaned before it is sent to the mill. “We started out by making toys for children with upcycled cigarette butts, so we follow a process where it is lab tested and proven safe enough to come into contact with the mouth.”
About two years ago, Code Effort tied up with a mill in Jodhpur to make yarns, and then started working with weavers. “When Reliance wanted to make a denim from their collection using recycled fibres, we started trials to come up with a textile that is breathable, smooth and suitable for the Indian summer,” says Naman.
“This was pilot project, so it was an experiment for us too,” says Jayesh, adding that the fabric passed all checks and tests, with a performance on par with conventional denim. The jeans will be a part of Lee Cooper’s Autumn-Winter 2024 collection and will be launched by July-August.