To be organized by the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles and curated by the Material Library of India, the second edition of ‘Weave the Future 2.0: Celebrating Handlooms, Regeneration & Indigenous Cotton's Bright Future’ will open on National Handloom Day, August 7, 2025, and run until August 17, 2025, at the Crafts Museum in New Delhi.
The event will highlight the crucial role of handlooms in building a sustainable and circular textile economy in India. The exhibition champions traditional, nature-aligned practices, emphasizing how handlooms can enable mindful, culturally rooted, and circular production systems. It seeks to celebrate a new generation of textile artisans who are reimagining fashion through regenerative and handmade practices.
A significant focus is placed on promoting indigenous cotton varieties such as Kala Cotton, Punasa Cotton, Konda Patti Cotton, Gavran Kapus Cotton, and Jayadhar Cotton. These varieties are highlighted for being hardier, drought-resistant crops that support ecological balance and rural livelihoods. The event aims to raise awareness and build momentum to increase the current 2-3 per cent share of indigenous cotton in India's total cotton cultivation.
The event promotes ‘regeneration’ in textiles, encompassing not just recycling but also practices that restore and revitalize the environment and communities. It brings together approximately 30 participating brands and initiatives including a diverse group of weavers, artisans, designers, enablers (like Laudes Foundation and Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPL) in Madhya Pradesh), and grassroots implementers (such as KORA Collective and Khamir) who are actively involved in reviving regenerative textile practices.
The event will feature installations that expand the conversation around sustainability, craft, and storytelling. Examples include a soundscape installation by Sonam Khetan, an exploration of native cotton varieties by Kora Design Collaborative, and an eco-printed panel by Lafaani.
