texfash

From borrowed ₹4 lakh at a 10x15 feet leased basement to a sweeping 2,00,000 square feet with a turnover of around ₹230 crore, Surat-headquartered True Colors Ltd delivers a vertically integrated ecosystem for digital fabric printing, from machinery to sublimation paper, inks, printing services and countrywide support. Read the journey of a start-up as it navigated the choke points to emerge as a cutting force with a country wide imprint.

Where does design fit in the textile-fashion hierarchy? The warp in crafts and livelihood, and the missing weft of innovation. Why has Indian design fallen short of its promise on the global platform? Dr Mihir Bholey, former Principal Faculty, Interdisciplinary Design Studies, Science and Liberal Arts at the National Institute of Design (NID), discusses it all and more in this freewheeling conversation.

Commercial printing has operated the same way for decades, but a partnership between three Colorado companies, led by Living Ink Technologies, announced claims to have achieved something unprecedented: successfully replacing petroleum-based carbon black with algae waste in full four-colour commercial printing. The breakthrough represents the first time bio-based pigment has proven viable for high-volume CMYK applications.

The Kolhapuri chappal—a timeless symbol of Indian craftsmanship—is in the news and for all the wrong reasons. But behind the buzz lies a story of decline: collapsing artisan networks, synthetic clones, policy failure, and raw material bottlenecks. As younger generations abandon the trade and fake lookalikes flood the market, this once-thriving rural industry is fast unravelling.

From farmyard waste to  fabric with a future—Prof. Georgy Sunny of NIFT Kannur has spun arecanut husk into a breakthrough in sustainable  textiles. Born of rural roots and backed by a decade of research, this zero-chemical fibre is now eyeing a saree-sector debut in 2025.

CottonConnect is transforming global  cotton supply chains through regenerative farming, full traceability, and collaborative brand partnerships. Led by CEO Alison Ward, the social enterprise empowers farmers, promotes sustainability, and builds climate resilience across India, Pakistan, China and beyond. With scalable programmes and robust impact measurement, CottonConnect aims to make  sustainable cotton the norm, not the exception, in a volatile global market.

Recent court rulings have struck down President Trump's sweeping tariff regime, challenging executive authority over trade policy. The US Court of International Trade found Trump exceeded his powers under emergency legislation, sparking immediate appeals and creating uncertainty across global markets and supply chains.

Are Trump’s tariffs reshaping the luxury fashion world? Here’s an analysis of the rapidly-shifting financial landscape for major brands, and the new cultural pressures arising from social media exposes, all against the backdrop of an increasingly uncertain future, also for fashion that is luxe.

Wool, long regarded as a symbol of New Zealand’s pastoral heritage and a sustainable alternative in an increasingly eco-conscious world, is set to take centre stage again, as it gets knitted into a government directive mandating the use of Kiwi-grown and manufactured wool carpets in public sector buildings.

This is not the first time that India has found itself with a heaven-sent opportunity. This time, however, all indicators are that the ground situation is different. Will India be able to upstage China in the global textiles and apparel trade? A ground report.