Clothing Manufacturers Association of India, in collaboration with SU.RE, successfully hosted the first edition of the ECO-STITCH Sustainability Conclave on April 3, 2026, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, alongside FAB Show 2026.
The conclave was inaugurated by Vrunda Desai, Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Speaking at the inauguration, she expressed, “I am really very happy that we have a day -long conclave, where all industry leaders and stakeholders would be putting in ideas of how to make strides for a more sustainable and ecological environment and how to make India more Atmanirbhar. Internationally – circularity and sustainability are the buzzwords and if we have to make good use of the FTAs and promote our exports, we will have to integrate sustainability as a core business strategy.”
The by-invitation conclave brought together over 250 key decision-makers from across the textile and apparel value chain, including brands, manufacturers, exporters, policymakers, international buying houses, startups and innovators. Supported by Global Alliance For Textile Sustainability Council, Brands & Sourcing Leaders Association and United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the event marked a significant step towards aligning industry stakeholders on embedding sustainability into core business strategies.
Speaking on the success of the conclave, Santosh Katariya, said:
“The ECO-STITCH Conclave has reaffirmed that the industry is ready to move from intent to implementation. The quality of discussions, combined with the strong participation across stakeholders, reflects a collective commitment to embedding sustainability at the core of how we design, source and manufacture. This is the beginning of a long-term movement to build a more responsible and globally competitive Indian apparel ecosystem.”
Naveen Sainani, Hon. General Secretary & Chairman, ESG Committee, CMAI, noted:
“What sets ECO-STITCH apart is its focus on actionable pathways. The exchange of real experiences, solutions and business-led approaches has created a strong foundation for accelerating sustainability adoption across the industry.”
A key highlight of the conclave was the experiential 3R Zones—Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle, showcasing practical applications of circularity. From upcycled collections to waste-to-wardrobe supply chains, the installations demonstrated how sustainability can be operationalised across production systems.
The event also featured an Automation and AI Showcase, emphasising the growing role of technology in enabling responsible manufacturing, improving efficiency and enhancing traceability across the fashion value chain.
Designed as an action-oriented platform, the conclave moved beyond dialogue to focus on scalable solutions through leadership panels covering themes such as sustainable global competitiveness, supply chain transparency, green finance, AI in fashion and circular economy practices.
Industry Voices on Sustainability
Smt. Roop Rashi, CEO, Khadi and Village Industries Commission, said, “Khadi by default is among the most resource-efficient systems as it uses much less water and energy. So, the question is: how do we bring in the new-gen factor and new-gen aspiration for Khadi? We need to create a demand pull, and design is the most important element in drawing the new generation towards Khadi. We have created a Centre of Excellence for Khadi, and launched “Navu Khadi” initiative last year.”
Pankaj Kumar highlighted, “UNIDO has developed a technology innovation roadmap, which has one common platform to see all the information available, and enables connect to the Textile Committee as well as the UNIDO for whatever support anyone needs, whether technical or financial. Textile is the only sector where we need to think about energy, environment, UN empowerment, and land improvement. So the idea is support for clusters through a clustered approach.”
Naresh Tyagi said, “India as a country matters immensely because, as we move towards becoming the third-largest economy after the US and China, textiles will be one of the key contributors. In this context, adopting sustainability in textile and apparel manufacturing processes becomes even more imperative. Therefore, this is a significant moment for us to participate and scale our efforts in a larger, more impactful way.”
Speaking on circularity, Kritika Chouhan expressed, “We often think that circularity is something that comes at the grave stage, at the end of the life cycle. However, circularity starts when your material is actually very simple in the beginning.”
CMAI SU.RE Sustainability Awards Debut
A major highlight was the launch of the CMAI SU.RE Sustainability Awards, recognising excellence across the textile and apparel value chain. Key winners included:
- Sustainable Brand of the Year (MSME): Indo Era
- Sustainable Brand of the Year (Large): Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd.
- Circular Fashion Champion: KS Spinning Mills Pvt. Ltd.; Sulochana Cotton Spinning Mills Pvt. Ltd.
- Sustainable Manufacturing Excellence: Bhaskar Denim
- Textile Recycling Innovator: HSN Ecotex
- Style Meets Sustainability: Spykar Lifestyles Pvt. Ltd.
- Sustainable Materials Innovation: Sowtex; Birla Cellulose
- Sustainability Startup of the Year: RePut.ai
- Sustainability Leadership Award: Manmohan Singh, VP, Grasim
The conclave also featured a Grand Sustainable Fashion Showcase, with participation from institutes such as NIFT Bengaluru, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, SOFT Pune and IDT Surat, highlighting the role of emerging talent in advancing responsible fashion.
By bringing together stakeholders across the ecosystem, ECO-STITCH has laid a strong foundation for long-term collaboration, positioning sustainability as a shared industry mandate and accelerating India’s transition towards a more responsible and globally competitive textile and apparel sector.
