Indigenous cotton celebrated in Delhi

Delhi wore National Handloom Day with pride, embracing traditional Indian textile at National
Crafts Museum. Cotton from around the country found its place at the Ministry of Textile’s exhibition. It primarily focused on sustainable production and consumption of textile. Local artisans from around the country had their work represented. Indira Varma from Bengaluru shared about her eco-friendly brand, "The idea is to highlight and do justice to the south of the country through our work."

A zero-waste initiative
Sustainability in cotton production isn’t just about natural processes but also a conscious effort to minimise waste. Jigisha Shukla’s Baroda-based brand converts unused fabric into rag dolls and scrunchies. Sonam Khetan, who owns a luxury brand, showcased dresses made from fabric scraps at her studio. Meanwhile, Shubhi Sachan, founder of the Material Library of India, said that upcycling begins only after we’ve consumed more than we need. She added, "The need of the hour is conscious consumerism."

Representation through fabric
Vasanthi Veluri, who owns a brand in Uttarakhand, showcased hemp as an organic fabric used along with wool. She also prioritises sustainability and eco-friendly processes including rainwater harvesting and usage of solar energy to reduce their carbon footprint. Founder of a cotton-forward brand based in Delhi, Drishti Modi said, “We lay a lot of focus on different varieties of cotton. We’re wanting to be a part of these revival movements for indigenous varieties of cotton. We use other fabrics too but primarily, what we use is cotton because we feel if India has to tell its fibre story, it is 100% cotton.”

‘Aiming to make the digital world more human’
The exhibition hosted a natural dyeing and hand-painting workshop. The host, Adeep AK, said, “This is all about spreading awareness about the process of natural dyeing and celebrating its aesthetics.” Meanwhile, a multisensory installation using scent as a bridge allowed people to connect with themselves. “I’m using the power of scent for people to relive their lost identity, their lost memories – essentially, the regenerative power of scent,” said Yati Sharma, who hosted the sensory experience. She added, “I’m trying to make this digital world a little more human by integrating different senses.”