Suvin

ITMA Asia Glances authored by Mr. Avinash Mayekar published Value Chain in December 2025 issue

Khadi... Needs to be an ace of trump card for Indian textile industry!!!

In recent days we know how much important is sustainability which is just not the present but also the future... And we Indians have something which is there since 7th August 1905 with a great movement called "Swadeshi" it is nothing but "Khadi" which is not just talk of the town now on Khadi Day but also a fashion icon to be celebrated with a great pride of our country... India !!!

We know by now that khadi is elegant, symbolic with environmental friendly approach, art of simple living as well as showing higher class of living standards. It has also woven various Indian cultures together with uniformity of nation pride as well as vibrancy of our cultural values, so much that most of the politicians are wearing khadi to show that they have national pride as well as simplicity towards life...

However, I feel, now time has come to show that it is just not some of the costumes but also a rear opportunity to opt for having complete traceability, human integrity, social economy as well as most of the time woman empowerment & very low carbon footprints. It also uses most of the natural colours of the fibres and give high importance to environmental fundamentals.

If we see through new generation point of view it has all that is required by the Generation Next & can be utilised for taking it to next level.

Time has come for India to adopt for some of the finishing technologies which can convert hand spun & hand-woven fabric in to high value-added applications with latest innovative technologies.

If the right new techniques are used then we have enormous possibilities to transform khadi into functional aspects of technical textiles as well with recycling techniques & also bring in to process re-circularity. We also can have options of using multiple technologies to process waste into other products to complete the value chain.

In recent evolution of dyes & chemicals we have possibilities to use natural colours of the fibres as it is or use recently developed natural colours to take care of minimal or zero use of liquid discharge.

With innovative focus techno commercial approach, it would be a right step towards new Khadi initiatives. While we are signing various FTA'a with prominent nations "khadi" can play a vital role in supplying eco-friendly textile solutions to entire world...

Let us play with this new trump card of khadi for getting mileage in textile & technical textile industry.

Wish you all Happy Handloom Day!!! 07.08.2025

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