Fashion for Good has launched the industry’s first open-source blueprint designed to help textile manufacturers move towards near-net-zero operations.
Developed under the Future Forward Factory project, the blueprint provides Tier-2 manufacturers in India with five practical and financially viable pathways capable of cutting carbon emissions by up to 93%.
Wet-processing facilities—responsible for dyeing, treatment and finishing—are among fashion’s highest-emitting segments, consuming significant amounts of water, energy and chemicals. According to Fashion for Good, manufacturers face major obstacles including high capital expenditure, fragmented approaches and the absence of a clear, comprehensive roadmap. This has left decarbonization “unjustified for most” and stalled progress in one of the sector’s biggest emissions hotspots.
Freely available to manufacturers and brands, the blueprint consolidates energy interventions, advanced technologies and disruptive process innovations. It is tailored specifically for Tier-2 textile units in India producing cotton knits and wovens. Key backers include the Laudes Foundation, H&M Foundation, Apparel Impact Institute (AII), IDH and expert partners Bluwin, Wazir Advisors, Grant Thornton Bharat and Sattva Consulting. Arvind Mills served as the anchor partner during blueprint development.
The blueprint outlines five customized pathways aligned to factory type and production processes. If fully implemented, the measures can deliver up to a 93% reduction in carbon emissions, 33% lower water use and a 41% cut in electricity consumption. Each pathway is supported by detailed financial modelling—including payback periods and internal rate of return analyses—as well as an overview of available government incentives.
Katrin Ley, Managing Director of Fashion for Good, said the blueprint “removes the guesswork and delivers a pragmatic solution to a complex problem”, adding that by making the guidance open-source the organization is “systematically dismantling the biggest barrier to decarbonization: the lack of a clear, implementable ‘how-to’.”
Fashion for Good intends to support selected manufacturers in India to retrofit their operations using the blueprint, in partnership with AII. Participating facilities will receive technical support and financial evaluation to help guide implementation.
Abhishek Bansal, Senior Vice President – Sustainability at Arvind Mills, said the project shows that “a holistic understanding of the decarbonization journey can unlock an investment case and create operational efficiencies for long-term profitability”, emphasizing the shift from “assessments to the actual deployment of solutions”.
Fashion for Good and Arvind are now exploring the establishment of the first Future Forward Factory based on the blueprint. The demonstrator facility is intended to serve as proof of concept and lay the groundwork for future region-specific blueprints across South Asia and Latin America.
News Courtesy : Apparel resources