A Bengaluru startup is turning unwanted clothes into cash while tackling the city’s growing textile waste problem through conscious doorstep collection and recycling.
NoKasa, founded by hostel mates Prasad Lingawar and Nachiket Acharya, collects old garments directly from homes, rewards users with instant cashback and ensures clothes are reused or responsibly processed.
Solving Bengaluru’s clothing waste issue
India generates an estimated 7.1 to 7.8 million tonnes of textile waste every year. Seeing the need for better disposal systems in Bengaluru, the founders launched NoKasa in 2024.
The company first studied waste management systems and consumer behaviour before starting smart collection bins in residential communities. Doorstep pickup began in November 2025.
Cash for old clothes
Users can choose to sell or donate clothes through the platform.
NoKasa pays ₹20 per kilogram for clothes and charges ₹50 as a pickup fee. If garments are donated, the pickup is free.
This model encourages people to declutter wardrobes without sending usable clothes to landfills.
15 tonnes saved from landfills
The startup says it has already diverted more than 15 tonnes of textile waste from landfills in the last two years.
Since May 2025 alone, over 20 tonnes of clothes — around 60,000 to 70,000 garments — have been collected. About 15 tonnes were reused, while the rest were sent for recycling, upcycling or downcycling.
Bigger plans ahead
At its Kaggadasapura warehouse, clothes are sorted by quality. Better garments are resold, while damaged ones are recycled.
The founders now plan to launch a refurbishment centre for washing, repairing and dyeing clothes, along with an online thrift platform offering affordable fashion.