Dilip Guha ★ New Delhi : Center of Excellence for Khadi, set up by The Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) -Ministry of MSME, in association with the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFT), organized a curated event titled ‘NAVYUG KHADI’- building a new narrative showcasing new designs in khadi targeted at thriving, socially and ecologically aware new generation consumers at Yoga Gallery and Chariot Courtyard, National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from 28th November to 3rd December 2025
The Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) provides end-to-end facilitative support to Khadi Institutions from raw material to retail sales, effectively connecting Farm to Fiber to Fashion through our traditional skills of Hand spinning and Hand weaving.
The Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK) has been set up at NIFT by the Ministry of MSME to address the needs of the Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in India. The objective is to help Khadi Institutions (KIs) to effectively design, produce, and market high-quality differentiated Khadi products in the Indian and global markets. CoEK is a Centre for experimentation, innovation, and design for khadi fabrics, apparel, accessories, and home fashions. The mantra of Hon’ble Prime Minister, “Khadi for Nation; Khadi for Fashion and Khadi for Transformation,” is a guiding light for CoEK.
Woven with patience, spun with purpose, and cherished for generations, khadi embodies the spirit of self-reliance and conscious living. In every strand lies the heartbeat of India’s freedom movement, the artistry of rural weavers, and a commitment to sustainable craftsmanship that the world is embracing today.
This curated event, “Navyug Khadi,” marks the first-ever retail showcase of CoEK-designed Khadi collections, crafted by Khadi Institutions across India, bringing together heritage, design, and innovation under one experiential space.
The exhibition “Navyug Khadi” was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Shri Manoj Kumar, Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). Dignitaries present were: Shri Vipul Goel, Joint Secretary (ARI), Ministry of MSME, Ms Roop Rashi, IA&AS, CEO, KVIC, Dr. Simmi Chaudhary (Economic Advisor), Financial Advisor (Additional Charge), KVIC, and Ms. Amrit Raj, DC (Handicrafts). Also present on the occasion was Dr. Sudha Dhingra, Project Director, CoEK. Ms Nargis Zaidi, Head of Apparel, and Ms Sunanda Dawar, Head of Textiles.
On this occasion, the Chairman said that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the guidance of the Ministry of MSME, the schemes and achievements of KVIC have established a strong foundation stone for ‘Viksit Bharat’. For the first time in the history of independent India, the turnover of Khadi and Village Industries surpassed Rs. 1 lakh 70 thousand crore from 35000 crores in 2014, and the target in the next financial year is 2 lakh crores. Honoring these artisans and entrepreneurs—who continue to contribute tirelessly to realizing the resolve of transforming an Atmanirbhar Bharat into a Viksit Bharat—is truly a tribute to their dedication, hard work, and devotion. These are the very hands that are giving global recognition to the spirit of Vocal for Local. He has also appraised the design development, dedication, and hard work of the team of the Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK).
Navyug Khadi is not just an event; it is a movement towards a more conscious and future-ready Khadi ecosystem. This event marks a significant milestone as CoEK brings its design collections into retail for the very first time- showcasing a range of saris, apparel, yardages, accessories, and home products designed by the team of designers at CoEK, by Khadi Institutions across the country. Representing diverse regional craft heritages from Odisha Ikat and Assam Eri silk to Gujarat’s Tangaliya, Karnataka silks, Bengal cottons, Telangana yardages, and Bihar weaves, the exhibition celebrates the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of ‘Naye Bharat ki Nayi Khadi’, presenting Khadi as a contemporary, inclusive, and globally aspirational brand.
Apart from an exhibition on the “Naye Bharat ki Nayi Khadi”, an R&D project with indigenous materials, and CoEK’s sustainability commitment, one can participate in hands-on workshops on hand spinning, sari draping, and natural dyeing (by prior registration).
The exhibition ‘Navyug Khadi’ brings together multiple elements and narratives on Khadi, including tools, diversity of the sector, and product displays across categories, sourced from different regions. The exhibition also showcases an installation on CoEK’s upcycle initiative, Katran, and Indigenous Fibre Project, showcasing new sustainable fibres, yarns, and textiles developed from India’s native plant sources.
A CELEBRATION OF CONSCIOUS CREATIVITY-“Every scrap has a story.”
A spokesperson of CoEK said, “We believe that sustainability is not just a practice, but a promise to our artisans, our resources, and the environment. Upcycling is at the heart of this project. Through mindful reinvention, we transform what is often overlooked, leftover fabrics, rejected yardage, and weaving defects, into meaningful, beautiful products.”
Under our initiative “Project Katran,” all leftover defective fabrics are collected from vendors, carefully sorted by colour, and thoughtfully re-imagined. The result is a collection of innovative textiles and products that honour both craft and conservation. “This jacket from the Katran Collection has been crafted from meticulously selected fabrics in hues of indigo. Each fragment is stitched together to create a unique piece. Beyond garments, exploration and experimentation have led to a tableware collection using Eri silk, extending the philosophy of circularity across categories,” he explained.
Under the Indigenous Fiber Project, Indigenous fibers are deeply rooted in the cultural and craft traditions of India. Supporting local fiber production helps in preserving centuries-old craft traditions, ensuring the survival of skilled artisans and their invaluable knowledge.
The Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK) has embarked on a significant project to explore and incorporate Indigenous Fibers of India into the Khadi portfolio. The indigenous fibres like Kala Cotton of Kutch, Brown Cotton of Dharwad, Hemp, Harsil Wool, Changthang Goat Wool from Ladakh, can be part of Khadi due to the inherent nature of hand-spinning yarn for Khadi. Moreover, the initiative aligns with the global push towards slow fashion and environmentally responsible textile production. The project commenced with extensive research on various indigenous fibers, yarns, and traditional textiles across different regions of India. A meticulous evaluation was conducted to assess the availability, feasibility, and viability of each fiber, ensuring that they could be effectively sourced, hand-spun, and handwoven, aligning with the vision of Khadi. As part of a strengthened design and development approach, all sourced indigenous fiber yarns were tested at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI), a reputed and government-backed institution dedicated to advancing sustainable and rural industries.
A tribute to India’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup Victory
CoEK celebrates India’s ICC Women’s World Cup victory through a thematic presentation on Women:11. The collection celebrates a historic moment of the victory of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team at their first World Cup. It’s a tribute to womanhood, teamwork, and resilience, reimagined through the lens of Khadi. Inspired by the energy of Team Blue, the palette draws from the hues of strength, confidence, and unity. This collection stands as a reminder that victory is woven not only on the field, but also in the lives and stories of women who continue to inspire generations. The fabrics have been sourced from Khadi institutions of Udyog Bharti, Gondal, Kshatriya Khadi Mandal, Mohali, and Chandrakanta Lalit Mohan, Murshidabad.
On 29th November, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) will be presenting a specially curated Fashion show of an assorted collection of Khadi ensembles and saris designed by CoEK, which celebrate both traditional craftsmanship and modern design. The highlight of this show is that all these designs are styled specially for everyone, to invite them to shop from the Khadi institutions retailing at Navyug Khadi.
From 29th November to 3rd December 2025, apart from exhibition and shopping from the Khadi Institutions, visitors can immerse themselves in hands-on workshops on hand spinning, natural dyeing, and sari draping.
With its theme ‘Building a New Narrative’, Navyug Khadi stands as a powerful reflection of what thoughtful collaboration between CoEK, KVIC, NIFT, and Khadi Institutions can achieve, merging innovation with heritage, design with tradition, and artisans with a new generation of conscious consumers.
