Bharat Tex Day 3 Focuses On Sustainability And Circularity

The third day of Bharat Tex 2026 brought together policymakers, State Government representatives, industry leaders, investors, international organisations, brands, academic institutions and sustainability experts for focused discussions on circularity, responsible sourcing, textile financing, future-ready skills, global trade and technology-led growth.

A series of panel discussions, roundtables, workshops, masterclasses and industry interactions explored practical pathways to build a competitive, inclusive and environmentally responsible textile sector.

A key highlight of the day was the participation of Dr. Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, who visited the Madhya Pradesh State Pavilion and interacted with representatives showcasing the State’s textile heritage, manufacturing capabilities and investment potential. He subsequently participated in the Madhya Pradesh State Session, organised by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.

The session highlighted Madhya Pradesh’s strengths across the textile value chain and its potential to attract investments, expand manufacturing, generate employment and support industry-led growth. A media interaction was also held following the session, during which Dr. Mohan Yadav highlighted the State’s textile potential and investment opportunities.

Sustainability and circularity remained central themes throughout the day’s programme.

The National Institute of Fashion Technology-led session, Indian Trends to Global Taste: Forecasting for Billion Consumers (VisionNxt), featured Nand Kishore Chaudhary, Chairman, Jaipur Rugs Company Pvt. Ltd., and Riccardo Rami, Founder, Riccardo Rami Studio, Italy. The discussion explored India’s potential to influence global fashion trends by combining consumer insights, indigenous knowledge and contemporary design.

The United Nations Development Programme session on the India Sustainable Textile Mark featured Nalini Shekar, Co-Founder, Hasiru Dala and focused on establishing credible social and environmental benchmarks for the Indian textile and apparel industry.

The session Wheat Straw to Wardrobes, featuring Dr. Ravinder Tuteja, Material Program Lead, H&M, explored the development of next-generation textile fibres from agricultural residue.

The roundtable Circular Textile: From Dialogue to Deployment, featuring Archish Kansal, Director, Respun, focused on translating circularity commitments into practical and scalable solutions.

The discussion on Fair Commodity Pricing: An Industry Model for an Equitable and Resilient Organic Cotton Value Chain, featured Jagjeet Singh Kandal, Country Director, India, IDH India Hub Private Limited and Danique Lodewijks, Sustainable Raw Materials Manager, Bestseller. The session underlined the need for transparent pricing, protection of farmer interests and long-term partnerships across the organic cotton value chain.

The panel Financing a Globally Competitive, Sustainable, Inclusive Supply Chain, featuring Shri Aakash Shah, Partner, Peak Sustainability Ventures, examined financing mechanisms to support resilient and responsible textile supply chains.

The Better Cotton Initiative roundtable, Dialogue for Sustainable Sourcing Solutions to Drive Textile Trade, brought together Eva Benavidez Clayton, Senior Director of Demand and Engagement, Better Cotton Initiative, Paul Wright, Group Environmental, Social and Governance Executive Director, PDS Limited, Anant Ahuja, Director of Environmental, Social and Governance and Sustainability, Shahi Exports Private Limited, Dilip Kumar, Traceability Manager, Marks and Spencer and Srinivasan Krishnamurthy, Material Development Lead, IKEA Group.

The deliberations focused on responsible sourcing, traceability and stronger collaboration among brands, manufacturers and suppliers to support sustainable textile trade.

The roundtable Weaving Capital In: Investor Perspectives on India’s Textile Sustainability Journey featured Ranjna Khanna, Senior Director, Programs, Impact Investors Council, Jai Kumar Gaurav, Senior Advisor for Climate Change and Circular Economy, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, and Dr. Priya Nagaraj, Head, Green Economy and Innovation, Council on Energy, Environment and Water.

The discussion examined investment opportunities in clean technologies, circular business models and inclusive enterprises across India’s textile sector.

The e-commerce masterclass From Bharat to the World, featuring Pulkit Nanda, Head of New Seller Recruitment, Global Sales, Amazon Global Selling, highlighted how export preparedness and digital marketplaces can help Indian textile enterprises reach customers worldwide.

A fireside conversation between Dr. M. Beena, IAS, Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Ms. Priyambada Jayakumar, Author and Historian, reflected on India’s handloom heritage, the contribution of weavers and artisans and the importance of connecting traditional knowledge with contemporary markets.

A panel discussion titled Why Indian Fabric Players Struggle to Integrate into Garmenting and What It Will Take to Succeed featured Shreyaskar Chaudhary, Managing Director, Pratibha Syntex Limited and Kartikayan Ravichandran, Associate Partner, Vector Consulting Group. The session examined the operational and strategic capabilities required for Indian fabric manufacturers to successfully expand into garment production.

The masterclass Integrating Sustainable Chemical Management Frameworks into Policy, led by Shri Saket Damodar Kulkarni, Senior Regional Manager for South Asia, ZDHC Foundation, discussed responsible chemical management, stronger environmental, social and governance compliance and internationally aligned production practices to support India–European Union textile trade.

The day concluded with the Sustainability Conclave: Learnings and Takeaways – Closing Plenary Session, featuring  Aarti Mohan, Co-Founder and Partner, Sattva Media and Consulting Private Limited. The closing session consolidated the day’s key insights and highlighted the need for coordinated action across finance, sourcing, technology, skills and circularity to build a more sustainable and globally competitive textile industry.