Asia Education Review Team

• Union Minister Giriraj Singh launches book on carbon footprint assessment in India’s handloom sector, co-authored by Ministry of Textiles and IIT Delhi
• The report offers practical, low-cost tools and real-life case studies to help handloom producers reduce emissions and embrace sustainable practices
• Highlights the handloom industry’s eco-friendly, women-led nature while aligning it with global sustainability and climate reporting frameworks

Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh today launched the book titled 'Carbon Footprint Assessment in the Indian Handloom Sector: Methods and Case Studies', jointly authored by Office of Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles and Department of Textiles & Fibre Engineering, IIT, Delhi. This historic document reinforces the Government of India's policy of environmental-aware handloom production and sustainable development by offering explicit, functional methodologies to quantify and decrease the carbon footprint of the handloom sector a critical socio-economic activity and a reflection of India's deep cultural heritage.

The Handloom Industry is a core activity of the rural and semi-rural economy involving more than 35 lakh individuals. The industry employs more than 25 lakh women weavers and allied labor which makes it a significant means of economic empowerment of women. Handloom weaving forms one of the richest and most colorful elements of the Indian cultural heritage.

The industry has the advantage of being less capital intensive, low power use, being environmentally friendly, flexibility in small output, willingness to accept innovations and responsiveness to market conditions. The uniqueness and ability to generate small batch size and being environment-friendly, handloom products are sought after in the international as well as the domestic market. In this book, emphasis is on the colorful and complex Indian handloom and its contribution to sustainable fashion and responsible consumption.

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The book contains easy-to-use steps to quantify Carbon Footprint using real-life case studies from India, such as products like cotton bedsheets, floor mats, Ikat sarees, Banarasi sarees, and other iconic handloom products. The book also contains low-cost data-gathering methodologies and emission measurement techniques that are tailored for the handloom industry to make production more environmentally friendly.

This book/report was developed through joint research collaboration by Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms and Textile and Fibre Engineering department, IIT Delhi. The process entailed extensive deliberations and close cooperation with experts from Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Weavers Service Centres, grassroot weaver associations, Greenstitch Private Limited, and concerned government departments. The book synthesizes international climate reporting principles and modifies them to suit India's specific working environment, thus facilitating the industry to chart sustainable growth.

The Ministry invites stakeholders, media, and members of the general public to discover and implement the conclusions of this historic report a significant milestone toward a cleaner, more sustainable Indian textile industry.