World University of Design (WUD), India’s first university dedicated to education in the creative domain, in collaboration with the Textile & Fiber Engineering Department of IIT Delhi, hosted the 4th edition of International Conference on Functional Textiles and Clothing (FTC 2025) at IIT Delhi, New Delhi. The event also featured for the first time a Functional Clothing contest and Fashion Show, where participants from various universities in India & abroad, besides students of the World University of Design, showcased their creativity, innovation ability and skills. The contest was judged by an independent jury comprising of three top fashion professionals – Payal Jain, Ruchi Tripathi and Sartaj Mehta.

The 4th Functional Textile and Clothing Conference organized together with IIT Delhi was the most successful yet, with 342 walk-ins over the three most-packed days, from 45 Indian and 10 International Universities, 109 oral presentations in 15 sessions, 40 poster presentations, 3 plenary sessions with 9 keynote addresses, 27 Functional Clothing Contestants, one Fashion Show, 4 Global FTC Excellence Awardees, and a Trailblazers session with 3 first-generation FTC entrepreneurs sharing their experiences, giving unlimited networking opportunities.

12 WUD faculty presented papers, 4 chaired sessions, and WUD student teams won all the 3 prizes of the clothing contest. The first-place prize was awarded to Manya Goel, Mehek Maheswari, and Anjani for their innovative designs. The second position was claimed by Palak Kamboj, Jailakshmi, and Nishita, while Gauri Hans and Rupanshi Singh secured the third position. Global FTC Excellence Awards 2025 were presented across several categories. Yogesh Kusumgar, Chairman of Kusumgar Corporates in Mumbai, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award. Tushar Ghosh, Distinguished Professor at Wilson College of Textiles, NCSU, USA, received the Leadership in Research award. Ashish Kansal, CEO of SMPP Industries in Delhi, was recognized for his Industry Impact, while Samrat Som, Creative Strategist and former Head of the Creative Studio at Royal Enfield, Eicher Motors Ltd., was honored as the Emerging Innovator.

Prof (Dr.) Sanjay Gupta, Co-Chair of the organizing industry and Vice Chancellor of World University of Design, said, " The textile industry stands as a vibrant testament to human ingenuity, seamlessly weaving together scientific innovation and technical mastery while serving as a cornerstone of India's economic strength. The government's enhanced 5F Framework-from Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign-has revolutionized our approach to 'Make in India', particularly in the crucial factory-to-fashion transition. What's particularly exciting is how we're moving beyond pure aesthetics to embrace functionality as a core value driver across the entire supply chain. Through this remarkable collaboration with IIT Delhi, we've created not just a conference, but a dynamic ecosystem where designers and researchers can cross-pollinate ideas with industry veterans. This synergy is precisely what's needed to propel India's textile sector into its next phase of innovation and global leadership. At WUD, we're proud to facilitate these vital exchanges that will shape tomorrow's textile landscape."

Held biannually at IIT Delhi this conference brings together top scientists, researchers, designers, and professionals from the textile and apparel industries. The conference facilitates discussions on the latest scientific advancements, design innovations, cutting-edge technologies, emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field of Functional Textiles and Clothing.