Giriraj Singh Inaugurates Weave The Future 5.0
Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh inaugurated the fifth edition of ‘Weave The Future 5.0’ at Handloom Haat, New Delhi, on the eve of Independence Day. The event was attended by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles and Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms).
Organised by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, the exhibition brings together India’s rich handloom heritage with contemporary design, regenerative materials and circular textile practices.
The inauguration also marked a new chapter for the re-envisioned Handloom Haat: The Handloom Experience Centre, envisioned as a public destination showcasing India’s handloom heritage, knowledge, craftsmanship, design, enterprise and retail under one roof.
Speaking at the event, Giriraj Singh said the government’s focus is on strengthening the handloom ecosystem by improving weaver incomes, expanding market access and creating new opportunities. He said the government aims to enable every weaver to achieve an annual income of at least Rs 5 lakh, while connecting weavers in villages with markets across India and overseas through e-commerce.
The Minister also highlighted handloom’s naturally lower carbon footprint and its potential to emerge as a sustainable choice for fashion, clothing and home décor. He emphasised the role of design interventions and collaborations with institutions such as IIT Delhi in taking Indian handloom, art, heritage and craftsmanship to global markets.
Since its inception in 2025, Weave The Future has sought to make sustainability more accessible through exhibitions, workshops, installations and conversations. The fifth edition expands this focus by exploring the potential of indigenous and regenerative fibres and demonstrating how traditional knowledge, local ecosystems and contemporary design can contribute to more resilient textile systems.
The exhibition features 24 nationally recognised weavers, presented by the National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC), along with 30+ curated brands from across the country. Participating brands represent diverse craft and design ecosystems from regions including Goa, Pune and Auroville, showcasing contemporary products made using handloom and regenerative materials.
The exhibition highlights a range of indigenous fibres, including wool, silk, hemp, banana, bamboo, nettle, pineapple leaf fibre and lotus fibre. Immersive installations explore the connections between geography, agriculture, ecology, craftsmanship and textile production.
A major highlight is the newly unveiled Visvakarma Gallery, a permanent exhibition featuring rare textiles from the landmark Visvakarma exhibition series held between 1981 and 1991. Developed through collaborations between Weavers’ Service Centres and artisan communities, the collection offers insights into India’s textile heritage and its evolution in the decades following Independence.
Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), said, “Weave The Future 5.0 brings together the past and the future of Indian textiles in one space. Handlooms have never been just a means of production, they are living systems of material intelligence, capable of working with the extraordinary diversity of fibres our country offers from wool and silk to hemp, banana, bamboo and lotus.”
She added that the fifth edition demonstrates how regenerative materials and traditional knowledge can come together to build a textile future that is resilient, responsible and rooted in India’s own ecosystems.
The exhibition also features interactive workshops and installations, including Fibers of Land, Textiles Through Time and CHAKRA. Scheduled activities include a wet-felting workshop using indigenous wool, water hyacinth craft, natural dyeing, traditional hand-spinning using the takhli, a screening on textile waste and circularity, and a natural-pigment workshop.
Weave The Future 5.0 will remain open to the public from August 13 to 23, 2026, at Handloom Haat, New Delhi.
