Ritwik Khanna is the founder of Rkive City—a zero-waste fashion brand and research and design company. Guided by an interest in where second-hand clothes come from and how post-consumer textiles can be re-used, he formed the label in 2022. “Rkive City’s ethos centers on reviving old things, both culturally and materially,” Khanna shared with Whitewall. “It is about drawing inspiration from the past while envisioning the future and creating for the present. We believe Rkive City is a solution designed for today, not just for the future.”
Rkive City’s ethos is to preserve and value clothing, and Khanna’s motto, “re-wear, repair, and reconstruction” is at the heart of its practice. Upcycled denim pieces—created from layered pieces of deconstructed pants, like panels, pockets, and belt loops—catch attention, often embellished or embroidered. Whitewall spoke with Khanna—now organizing the brand’s first runway show—about the global consumption crisis and how Rkive City whittles fabrics down to their fibers to fix it.
Rethinking Textile Waste from the Ground Up
Courtesy of Rkive City.
WHITEWALL: When you first started to learn more about textile waste, what did you start questioning?
RITWIK KHANNA: I began questioning how much of what is discarded is truly reused, repurposed, or even recycled. Unfortunately, the majority of discarded garments never get recycled. This realization sparked my interest in fiber-to-fiber recycling as a potential solution. In my opinion, this method is flawed—it diminishes the years of use, age, and character embedded in these garments. Moreover, recycling itself has remained largely unchanged for over a century. This is why we established a research and design house.
When a garment is broken down into its fiber form, its textile construction is lost. If a garment can be salvaged by deconstructing it and creatively reintegrating the fabric into a new piece, that should always be the first choice. Even before that, repair should be the priority. Our approach follows this hierarchy: we wear old garments first, then repair them when needed. If neither of these options is viable, we move to reconstruction. Our goal is to extend the life of textiles through thoughtful restoration and reinvention, rather than reducing them to raw fibers.
Inside the Rkive City Studio at Dhan Mill
Courtesy of Rkive City.
WW: Your studio in Dhan Mill has different spaces for textile waste sorting, deconstructing, and reimagining. What’s a day there like?
RK: At any given point in our studio, multiple processes happen simultaneously. Our space is divided into four key areas: the warehouse, the atelier, the design studio, and the store. A typical day at the warehouse involves a lot of sorting. When we receive textile waste, it arrives in a mixed grade, so the first step is to categorize it by color, size, grain, weight, and condition. This is also where the deconstruction process begins. We have trained women from nearby villages to meticulously open every thread and seam of each garment, completely deconstructing them.
“Our focus is on innovation, continuously asking the right questions,”
—Ritwik Khanna
Once this is done, the materials are sent for washing and sanitization. After the cleaning process, the textiles return to the atelier, where they are re-sorted and categorized based on the initial classifications. The pieces are then cut again and transformed into new garments. Meanwhile, in the design studio, there is always a sense of organized chaos—something new is always happening. We love taking on experimental projects, exploring new textiles, and developing products that don’t necessarily look upcycled. Our focus is on innovation, continuously asking the right questions and finding creative ways to turn old products into something new.
Ritwik Khanna on Saving Every Button, Stitch, and Story
Courtesy of Rkive City.
WW: How do you preserve old garments with new details like embroidery, zippers, buttons, and patchwork? What’s first?
RK: First, we analyze the silhouette we are deconstructing and identify all reusable components, such as buttons, zippers, and fabric. Every element is carefully sorted and categorized for different applications to ensure nothing goes to waste. For instance, natural buttons from blazers and shirts are separated and set aside for reuse. Old saris are repurposed as linings, while trouser zippers in good condition are used for other trousers. Even old linings are repurposed as filler materials, ensuring that every part of the garment is utilized to its maximum potential with minimal waste.
WW: Tell us about Rkive City’s internal programs—like Re-pair, allowing customers to repair and personalize their clothing.
RK: I believe that in order to truly tackle textile waste, we need to address every aspect of the problem with intentionality. Our programs, like Re-pair, are designed with purpose. The idea behind Re-pair is that not all garments need to be completely deconstructed. Instead, I focus on extending the life of clothes by repairing and customizing them.
With Re-pair customers have the opportunity to bring in their garments, and we repair, alter, and personalize them according to their style and preferences. This both helps keep clothes out of the waste stream and gives them a new life, prolonging their use and elevating existing pieces meaningfully. It’s about celebrating the value of what already exists rather than seeking something new. It’s always heartwarming when a customer brings in a garment their late father wore, wanting to repair and re-wear it. Preserving its emotional value through our supply chain is what keeps this program going and reminds us why it is so important.
WW: How have the climate and the consumption crises fueled your views of textile waste?
RK: Living in today’s world, witnessing events like the L.A. fires, and realizing that global consumption is actually 50 percent lower than what we are producing as a society is deeply concerning. I recently learned that H&M has massive warehouses in China filled with unsold inventory. The fact that we produce far more than we consume is alarming and it has significantly changed how people perceive the value of garments. If you were to tell someone that the price of a meal today is equivalent to the price of a jacket 30 years ago, they would likely find it hard to believe. This drastic shift in pricing has transformed our perception of clothing and made us rethink how we can repurpose garments, create new ones, and sustain the supply chain more responsibly.
Courtesy of Rkive City.
WW: What is commonly overlooked that you wish people considered more?
RK: Everyone has now come to a point where they donate only their old clothes. While donating old clothes is a fantastic thing to do because their dollar value ends up benefiting someone in need, it has also become a way for people to justify continuous consumption. You pay money to buy new goods, then to ease the guilt of overconsumption, you donate the old ones.
I don’t think this is the best way to look at textile waste. Don’t get me wrong—donating is extremely important—but if you look at what happened in LA during the fires, so many old clothes were donated, yet there weren’t enough people to receive them. The fact remains that there is so much overconsumption in the world. Everyone could be dressed, yet they are not. Instead, it all turns into a supply chain issue of what can be recycled and what cannot. Even today many brands burn their old clothes, which shows how much waste is still being generated. There needs to be a new perception of textile garments—one where they are preserved and valued properly rather than treated as disposable.
“I believe that India is not just a textile country or a place defined solely by its traditional crafts,”
—Ritwik Khanna
A New Vision for Indian Fashion and Global Craft
Courtesy of Rkive City.
WW: How do you hope to help shape the contemporary landscape of India?
RK: I believe that India is not just a textile country or a place defined solely by its traditional crafts. There is immense potential for innovative craftsmanship and textile waste management principles, which could help shape a new image of India—one that addresses the double burden of waste. Waste is generated at multiple stages: during manufacturing, as well as after people have worn and discarded their clothes. To build a more contemporary and sustainable landscape, we need to merge our inherited knowledge of craft with new textile revival techniques. By bridging the gap between global textile waste and India’s rich tradition of craft revival, we can create beautiful, valuable products that honor both sustainability and craftsmanship.
