The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) hosted the CITI Textile Sustainability Awards 2026 at Bharat Tex in New Delhi on July 15, recognising organisations, institutions and individuals for their outstanding contributions to sustainable manufacturing, responsible sourcing, resource efficiency, innovation and social impact across the textile value chain.

Union Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita attended the ceremony as Guest of Honour. Senior officials from the Ministry of Textiles, global industry bodies, UNIDO, and textile industry leaders also participated in the event.

CITI Chairman Shri Ashwin Chandran said, "At CITI, we have always been committed to the Triple Bottom Line approach and to bringing stakeholders together to advance the cause of sustainability. The CITI Textile Sustainability Awards reflect that commitment by recognising innovation, collaboration and leadership in building a more sustainable textile industry."

Strengthening Global Partnerships
At the event, CITI also announced a collaboration with the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) to support Indian manufacturers, particularly MSMEs, in addressing evolving sustainability expectations, responsible business practices and human rights due diligence requirements. SLCP is a multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together brands, manufacturers, industry associations, civil society organisations and audit firms with the shared objective of promoting decent working conditions across global supply chains.

Recognising Sustainability Excellence
The Awards celebrated excellence across two broad segments:

CITI Textile Sustainability Awards, recognising achievements in climate-resilient cotton production, Kasturi Cotton promotion, circular economy, energy efficiency, sustainable cluster development, HR excellence and academic contribution to sustainability.

CITI Birla Economic & Textile Research Foundation Awards, recognising excellence in:
1. Effective Chemical Management and Compliance in Textile Wet Processing
2. Low Carbon Footprint Initiatives in Textile Manufacturing
3. Data-Driven Sustainability Excellence in Textile Manufacturing
4. Achieving ESG Compliance through Innovation

In addition, there was a Special Award to recognise the municipal corporation that has demonstrated exemplary leadership and innovation in waste management through effective collection, segregation, recycling and resource recovery.

Special Award Winner: Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation for Waste Management Efforts at the Municipal Corporation Level.