One Spotlight Day Isn’t Enough; Designers Say Indian Fashion Must Go Green

MUMBAI- As the climate crisis grows more urgent, the fashion industry — one of the world’s largest polluters — finds itself at a crossroads. In India, where textile heritage and craftsmanship run deep, sustainability in fashion is still being treated as an afterthought. At the Fashion Design Council of India’s (FDCI) glitzy Fashion Week, “Sustainable Day” appears more like a symbolic gesture than a structural shift — a tick-box effort in an otherwise luxury-driven calendar.

Speaking in clear terms, Deepthi Potheni, founder of the eco-conscious brand Deep Thee, called for more than just a one-day spotlight. “Yes, sustainable fashion totally deserves its own proper fashion week,” she said. “One day just isn’t enough to really talk about everything that goes into it — from ethical sourcing and fair wages to eco-friendly materials.”

For Potheni, the biggest barrier is visibility. “Smaller brands truly committed to sustainability often get pushed to the side by big names. They need their own space to shine.” She believes a separate, dedicated Sustainable Fashion Week — with serious backing and funding — could shift the fashion industry’s mindset. “Putting more focus on sustainable fashion could push big brands to start offering eco-friendly options. A full week could make doing better the new normal.”

This isn’t just about niche markets or earthy aesthetics. National Award-winning designer Gaurang Shah argues that sustainable fashion is couture. “Couture is about excellence — about something made with skill, intention, and deep respect for detail,” he said. “A Jamdani saree can take weeks or months to weave, entirely by hand, motif by motif. That, to me, is the highest form of couture — born in the looms of our villages, not factories.”

Shah sees sustainability not as a modern innovation, but as a living tradition. “When I work with Jamdani, I’m not just designing clothes — I’m continuing a way of life. One that respects the earth, the artisan, and the art. Our crafts are rooted in dignity, and the process is slow for a reason.”

Despite India being a global textile hub, it hosts fewer than five major sustainable fashion shows annually — and FDCI dedicates just one day to the subject. For Shah, that barely scratches the surface. “A single day can’t honor the depth of India’s sustainable practices. Our crafts don’t follow fashion seasons; they follow time and tradition.”

He acknowledges that the commercial pressures of the fashion industry often sideline handcrafted work. “In a system driven by speed and immediacy, slow fashion gets overshadowed. But if we start valuing process over pace, there is immense richness in what we already have.”

Designer Mamta Reddy of Kalamcreations echoes this sentiment. Known for working with Kalamkari — a hand-painted textile tradition — she says sustainability is not a moment, but a commitment. “If couture means something made with care, by hand, and can’t be replicated, then Kalamkari is couture. Every design is painted freehand. It’s not traced or printed, and never mass-produced. That makes it one of a kind.”

According to the Fourth All India Handloom Census, over 36 lakh weavers and allied workers power India’s handloom sector. Their work embodies sustainability — in process, material, and philosophy. Yet they remain largely invisible on the mainstream fashion runway.