Investing in fashion innovation in India

This report, mapping the entire landscape, showcases the opportunities driving the industry in India forward.

New Delhi: India is a global leader in manufacturing and one of the largest consumer markets for fashion. Investing in innovations and simultaneously building supply chain capabilities will be critical for faster innovation adoption and scale-up, says a report.

Fashion for Good and Circular Apparel Innovation Factory have come up with a comprehensive overview of the “State of Circular Innovation in the Indian Fashion and Textile Industry” that outlines the opportunities and solutions across the Indian supply chains that are enabling the industry to leap towards sustainability.

This report, mapping the entire landscape, showcases the opportunities driving the industry in India forward.

“This report is not only an in depth look into the Indian innovation landscape, but an invaluable tool for anyone looking to make a positive impact in the region. With action and all industry actors coming together to capitalise on these innovations, India is positioned to transform the fashion industry towards circularity,” said Katrin Ley, Managing Director, Fashion for Good.

Some of the key highlights shared in the report are:

A sustained focus on R&D will be essential to promote upstream innovations. In case of “Raw Materials”, R&D efforts need to focus on developing new natural fibres, bi-synthetics, regenerated fibres and processes that consume fewer chemicals, less water and energy. Such efforts also need to be directed towards enhancing compatibility of such products with existing equipment and infrastructure available in India.

Public-private engagement and appropriate policy incentives will be necessary for establishing and strengthening local supply chains (supply side interventions) to ensure availability of, and access to, innovative circular products. This will be particularly relevant for ensuring production and seamless availability of alternative products, particularly in the “Raw Materials” and “Wet and Dry Processing” phases of the supply chain.

Investing in innovations and simultaneously building supply chain capabilities will be critical for faster innovation adoption and scale-up. This requirement holds true across the supply chain phases to spur demand for innovative products and processes.

Up-skilling of workers in the supply chain will facilitate easier innovation adoption and job protection. This flows naturally from the earlier point on developing supply chain capabilities and is also applicable throughout the supply chain, especially in phases where innovation unfolds in the form of mechanisation.