Fashion for Good, in partnership with Arvind Limited, has launched Future Forward Factories India, a bold new project focused on making textile manufacturing more eco-friendly. The initiative has two main goals: creating a detailed plan for sustainable production methods and building a real-world facility that puts these ideas into action.

The project introduces an open-source, flexible guide for transforming Tier 2 textile factories—the core of the industry’s supply chain—into operations that are better for the environment and financially sustainable. At the same time, a state-of-the-art facility will be constructed to showcase these ideas in practice, proving that these sustainable innovations can work on a large scale.

Arvind, the project’s lead partner, plans to build this advanced facility in Gujarat, India. It will focus on producing cotton woven and knit fabrics and is designed to cut GHG emissions by up to 93%. The factory will also save around 60 litres of water per kilogram of fabric. It aims to be one of the first near net-zero textile production centres in the industry. Along with showing how much impact can be achieved, the plan also looks at how to make these factories cost-effective. Support from industry stakeholders will be key to covering any financial gaps and making these changes possible.

Katrin Ley, Managing Director of Fashion for Good, said, “The fashion industry is at a turning point in its efforts toward sustainability. Through this project, we are not only sharing knowledge but also taking action by building a working example. Tier 2 factories are responsible for over half the industry’s carbon emissions and most of its water and chemical use. With this initiative, we are showing that solutions exist and can make a real difference.”

Punit Lalbhai, Vice Chairman of Arvind Limited, added, “We’re proud to partner with Fashion for Good on this important journey. At Arvind, we are dedicated to leading sustainable changes in textile manufacturing. Through this project, we will prove that these new technologies can work at scale and help solve major environmental issues in our industry.”