The four-day event was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh. We had the privilege of welcoming him on the opening day for a walkthrough of our exhibit. The event brought together over 6,000 international buyers, 1,600 exhibitors, 1.3 lakh trade visitors, and industry stakeholders from 130 countries at Bharat Mandapam.

The Shahi Exhibit: Celebrating 52 Years of Manufacturing Excellence

We welcomed global buyers, policymakers, government officials, and peers to engage with our manufacturing capabilities, material innovations, and sustainability initiatives.

The exhibit featured a curated journey wall that traced our evolution over the decades. It highlighted Shahi’s growth from humble origins to a vertically integrated network of over 50 manufacturing facilities. It showcased our diverse product portfolio, high-quality garment construction across various knits, wovens, and next-generation low-impact materials.

Leadership Engagements

Shahi’s leadership team participated in key panel discussions and roundtables across conference tracks. They shared practical perspectives on global trade, manufacturing efficiency, policy prioritization, and sustainable sourcing.

Navigating Global Trade Uncertainty

‘India – A Trusted Partner in an Uncertain World: How Can Indian Companies Navigate a Rapidly Changing Global Trade Scenario‘

Building Globally Competitive Manufacturing Ecosystems

Harish Ahuja, Managing Director and Chairperson, emphasized that long-term capacity expansion must be guided by consumer demand rather than short-term tariff shifts. He highlighted India’s strong domestic fabric base, which enables over 90% domestic value addition, compared with 30%–40% in competing nations such as Vietnam and Bangladesh. He urged policy interventions to help manufacturers achieve sustainable double-digit margins and attract domestic investment.

Building Global Competitiveness in India’s Textile & Apparel Sector

At the panel discussion, Poorana Seenivasan, CEO of the Ladies Specialty Division, outlined key operational fundamentals. He noted that global competitiveness relies on building a supportive industrial ecosystem rather than individual corporate effort alone. Moving beyond low-cost labor, he urged manufacturers to focus on per-person productivity, process engineering, and technology adoption.

Decarbonization and Sustainable Sourcing

‘Dialogue for Sustainable Sourcing Solutions’

Speaking at the panel with Better Cotton Initiative, Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG & Sustainability, shared how sustainability must be integrated directly into core business decisions. He highlighted that the most scalable initiatives are those that improve both environmental and operational performance. This includes Shahi’s move to biomass energy, raising our carbon-neutral energy share, and the adoption of water-saving processing, such as Fibre52. He also stressed the need to simplify reporting frameworks and support upstream suppliers through long-term buyer collaboration.

Policy Reform and State Industrial Infrastructure

‘Crafting Uttar Pradesh’s Next-Generation, Green, and Global Textile Empire.’

Dr. Rakesh Sethi, Chief Operating Officer, spoke at the Uttar Pradesh State panel. He advocated for giving the apparel sector equal policy priority with agriculture due to its capacity to generate mass employment. He also called for active private-sector participation in shaping industrial policy and building green manufacturing clusters.

Regional Growth & Investment Frameworks

Joseph M T, Assistant Vice President of Administration, addressed the Karnataka State Session. He highlighted Karnataka’s growing industrial potential, detailing how strategic state partnerships, infrastructure support, and localized cluster development can attract long-term apparel investments.

Spotlight on Next-Gen Innovation & Heat Stress

The Shahi ESG & Innovation team attended the PDS x Fashion For Good (FFG) Innovation Space Spotlight and Pitch Forum at Bharat Tex. The session brought together global innovators, brand partners, and supply chain leaders to explore emerging technologies. Our team engaged with early-stage solutions across circular materials, low-impact processing, and supply chain traceability, reinforcing our commitment to testing and scaling next-generation sustainable practices.

A side session hosted by Good Business Lab and Sattva brought together key stakeholders—including buyers, manufacturers, research organizations, and non-profits—to address the pressing urgency of heat stress in India. The consensus was clear: heat adaptation must evolve beyond a mere worker-welfare or compliance issue to become a core business resilience strategy. Participants highlighted the need for context-specific, data-driven preventive measures rather than one-size-fits-all fixes. Achieving this requires cross-sector collaboration to share learnings and scale practical solutions.

The Road Ahead

The event served as a platform to engage with international buyers, supply chain partners, and research institutions to discuss joint accountability across global value chains. A highlight was the ICRIER research initiative and book launch on global competitiveness, which included Shahi as a Case Study. The event also hosted dialogues with global bodies on co-investing in supply chain decarbonization, which reaffirms the core message shared across our panel sessions: building a resilient textile industry requires moving beyond transactional vendor relationships. 

As Bharat Tex 2026 concluded, we look forward to advancing the future of Indian apparel manufacturing by delivering high-quality products to the global market. 

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• One in four sewing machine operators found to have uncorrected vision impairments
• The intervention gave a 3x return on investment over a three-month trial period
• Adoption of vision correction glasses grew by 24% over the trial period
• Shahi Exports, India’s largest apparel manufacturer to expand the vision correction programme for 100,000 workers across all its factories

About the Study

The RCT undertaken across shopfloors of Karnataka-based factories operated by Shahi Exports provided free glasses to 344 sewing machine operators. These workers were experiencing Presbyopia, an age-related decline in near vision, affecting their work on the factory floor and their quality of daily life. This condition affects 1 in 4 sewing machine operators in the selected factories. 

Implemented by VisionSpring, the intervention provided vision screening and free glasses at under ₹1,000 ($10) per worker. Factories saw a net benefit of ₹4,000 ($43) per worker in just six weeks. These returns in projection are equal to ₹15,000 ($162) over a year. The findings point to a clear business case:

A modest, one-time investment in worker wellbeing delivered measurable gains in factory performance within weeks.

Shahi Exports, India’s largest textile manufacturer, is committed to expanding vision correction programmes beyond presbyopia across its operations, with a target to reach 100,000 workers.

Workers also reported measurable benefits of improved vision, demonstrating significantly better visual function scores within 12 weeks of receiving glasses. Furthermore, adherence to wearing glasses increased significantly, from 41% in week 4 to 65% in week 12. This suggests that workers who experienced benefits were more likely to continue using the glasses consistently. Clearer vision also has direct quality-of-life effects: the ability to read a mobile phone, help a child with schoolwork, or manage daily tasks independently.

Achyuta Adhvaryu, Co-Founder, Good Business Lab, noted,

“When employers invest in something as fundamental as a worker’s ability to see, the returns flow in both directions, to the worker and the business. This study demonstrates that simple, low-cost intervention, such as providing vision correction glasses, can yield productivity results comparable to other proven, but significantly more expensive, performance-linked incentives or training initiatives. I am truly excited that Shahi Exports has decided to scale this program, and I hope other firms recognize that addressing such a basic physiological barrier is a powerful, yet often overlooked, way to drive both worker well-being and long-term business growth.”

Eye Health Impact at Scale

If scaled across the estimated 53 million garment workers in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia, universal vision correction could add billions of dollars in annual output while directly improving workers’ quality of life. Globally, the study estimates a potential $27 billion annual productivity gain for the textile and garment sector.

Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG and Sustainability at Shahi Exports, added,

“Eye health is an imperative life function. The findings of the study are promising and signal a growing belief that strategic investment in worker wellbeing not only improves workers’ lives but also strengthens the business. We are now expanding the reach of this benefit to all workers across our factories.” 

With the size and importance of the garment industry, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to eye care is limited, a productivity improvement on this scale could be felt across entire economies. The garment industry is also an important source of employment for women, especially in South Asia. At under ₹1000 ($10) per worker, vision correction is among the lowest-cost, highest-return investments an employer in this sector can make.

About Good Business Lab

Good Business Lab Foundation (GBL) is a non-profit organisation that works to improve the lives of low-income workers. We design and test evidence-based solutions for well-being and economic stability, and promote the adoption of effective practices that create dignified and inclusive work environments. GBL’s work spans five focus areas: Climate, Health, Livelihoods,  Gender, and the Workplace, and reflects a growing portfolio of evidence across labour-intensive sectors such as retail, automotive, construction, and platform work. To know more about GBL, visit goodbusinesslab.org

About Shahi Exports 

Established in 1974 by Sarla Ahuja, Shahi Exports is one of India’s largest integrated apparel manufacturers and exporters. The company operates over 50 manufacturing facilities across eight Indian states and employs nearly 100,000 people. Serving leading global fashion and lifestyle brands, Shahi combines vertically integrated operations with a diversified product portfolio. Shahi continues to invest in manufacturing innovation, responsible sourcing, ethical operations, and environmental sustainability. For more information, visit shahi.co.in.

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Together, the partnership brings Fibre52®’s patented biochemistry platform with Shahi’s manufacturing scale to advance more resource-efficient cotton processing within large-scale textile production. 

Cotton pretreatment is one of the most resource-intensive stages in textile manufacturing. Fibre52® introduces a drop-in, low-temperature pretreatment system that uses ZDHC MRSL v3.1 and OEKO-TEX®-approved chemistries. The process can preserve the natural wax and softness of cotton fiber while eliminating the use of caustic soda and reducing resource intensity compared to conventional pretreatment. 

Since early 2024, Fibre52®’s trials at Shahi progressed through a structured validation process of 5MT, 20MT, and, more recently, 100MT fabric trials. The results demonstrated reductions of approximately 25% in water consumption and 49% in steam consumption compared to conventional pretreatment systems. 

As part of the scale-up roadmap, Shahi plans to transition approximately 25% of its knit processing capacity to the Fibre52® pretreatment system, representing close to 3,000 tons per annum. This marks the shift from controlled trials to industrial adoption within a large, vertically integrated manufacturing environment. 

Shahi and Fibre52® are advancing this collaboration as a long-term innovation platform. The focus is on expanding applications, deepening integration across product categories, and reinforcing scalable pathways for lower-impact textile manufacturing.

Laura Thornquist, President of Innovo Fiber, Fibre52®’s parent company, said:

“What makes this partnership unique is not just the technology, but the alignment of vision. Shahi and Fibre52® came together with a shared commitment to rethinking cotton processing at scale. When innovation capability and manufacturing discipline work in sync, real transformation becomes possible.”

Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG & Sustainability, Shahi Exports, said:

“This collaboration reflects the value of close partnership. The Fibre52® team brought a different approach, and Shahi focused on how it could work within our production environment. Together, this has progressed from early validation to measurable production outcomes. It is encouraging to see how sustainability and performance can come together at an industrial scale.”

About Shahi Exports

Shahi Exports is one of India’s largest integrated apparel manufacturers and exporters, supplying leading global fashion and lifestyle brands. The company operates a broad network of textile and garment manufacturing facilities and continues to invest in manufacturing innovation, responsible sourcing, and resource-efficient production.

About Innovo Fiber and Fibre52®

Innovo Fiber LLC is a US-based technology company and the owner of the Fibre52® cotton pretreatment platform. Fibre52® is a patented system designed to prepare cotton for dyeing while preserving the fiber’s inherent qualities, while reducing the resource intensity compared to conventional cotton processing.

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Anant Ahuja, Director ESG & Sustainability at Shahi Exports & CEO and Co-founder at Good Business Lab, and Andrea M. Wojnar, Representative for UNFPA India and Country Director for Bhutan, sealed the commitment at a ceremony held at the UN House in New Delhi.

A Strategic Investment in Workforce Resilience

This partnership marks our formal commitment to integrate sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) into our business policies and practices. It’s a declaration that investing in women’s reproductive health is a smart business decision that boosts workforce resilience, productivity, and gender equality.

The Coalition, a multi-stakeholder platform led by UNFPA, aims to mainstream the SRHR agenda within the private sector globally.

Anant Ahuja commented on the significance of the agreement: 

“Joining the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business is a great moment for us. This MoU reflects a core belief we hold: that the health, dignity, and autonomy of our women employees are fundamental to our success. We are excited to collaborate with UNFPA India to set a new standard for corporate responsibility and advance women across our workforce and the value chain.”

UNFPA on the Role of the Private Sector

The private sector, as one of the world’s largest economic forces, is uniquely positioned to drive positive social change through inclusive policies.

Andrea M. Wojnar highlighted the collaboration:

“The integration of women’s health and rights into corporate strategy is crucial for achieving gender equality and unlocking economic potential. Shahi’s commitment as a champion demonstrates forward-thinking leadership that directly addresses the barriers women face. We look forward to leveraging this partnership to drive measurable impact on critical areas like menstrual health, gender-based violence prevention, and access to comprehensive reproductive health information.”

Key Commitments Under the Partnership

As a champion of the Coalition, Shahi will undertake concrete actions, focusing on:

• Policy Advancement: Implementing enhanced, family-friendly policies related to menstrual health, maternity and parental support, and flexible working arrangements.
• Health Access: Working towards providing information and access to comprehensive reproductive health services and support.
• Gender-Based Violence (GBV): Strengthening workplace mechanisms and zero-tolerance policies to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and harassment.
• Measurement: Utilizing the framework to track, report, and continuously improve performance on SRHR indicators within the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting.

Shahi is committed to fostering a supportive, stigma-free environment. The goal is to enable every employee to exercise their right to make autonomous decisions about their bodies and futures.

About Shahi Exports: Shahi is India’s largest apparel manufacturer and exporter. The company operates more than 50 state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across 8 Indian states. It has a diverse workforce of nearly 100,000 people. Their vertically integrated operations, diversified product range, and strong commitment to ethical operations and environmental sustainability have established Shahi as one of the most preferred garment manufacturers in the world.

About UNFPA India: UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. UNFPA has been partnering with India for over 50 years, ensuring rights and choices for all and helping build a future where every woman and young person can thrive.

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Mrs. Sarla Ahuja (Didi Ji) often recalls how her younger child was so spirited and full of energy that she decided to start working from home to balance her responsibilities as a mother and a professional. In the 1970s, women’s participation in the economy was largely confined to agriculture and the informal sector. During this time, Mrs. Sarla stepped into the unfamiliar world of exports. It was a time of protectionist policies, and the idea of “working from home” was hardly imagined. She made a choice that was born out of care and necessity. It soon became the first stitch in the fabric of what would grow into one of India’s largest apparel manufacturers, Shahi.

A New Kind of Beginning

The India of 1974 was a time of transition, when women’s voices in business were still rare and often overlooked. Opportunities were limited, but so was the fear of trying.

Sarla Ji’s curiosity, determination, and willingness to think differently laid the foundation for something much larger than herself. It began as a personal venture and soon evolved into a platform for thousands of women to earn a livelihood, gain confidence, and redefine what leadership looks like in the textile industry.

Capturing Five Decades of Purpose

Fifty years later, that spark remains a defining part of us.

To commemorate this extraordinary journey, we are proud to launch ‘The Spark: 50 Years of Shahi’. The book is a visual and emotional chronicle that captures the essence of who we are and how we came to be.

The Spark retraces the beginnings of a small homegrown enterprise and follows its evolution into India’s largest apparel manufacturer. Inside, you get a peek into rare photographs, personal reflections, and memories from the people who built Shahi. It tells the story of a company that has always been shaped by its people. Their skills and ideas drove its success. Their persistence and dedication kept it growing. 

The Story of a Generation, and Many More

The pages echo the voices of those who have been part of Shahi for decades. They hold the spirit of people who joined as young trainees and today lead teams of hundreds. Their stories of grit, innovation, and belonging remind us that progress never happens overnight. People build it slowly, stitching it together, one thread, one milestone, one person at a time.

This is more than a record of our history. It is a shared reflection, a chance for each of us, across eight states, to see ourselves in a story larger than our own.

A Book That Belongs to Everyone

The book is, at its heart, a collective memory and a bridge across time, departments, and generations.

Whether you have been part of Shahi for years or just joined, you’ll find the pages peppered with something familiar. They tell a story of perseverance, people, and purpose.

Today, we launch the book as both a tribute and an invitation. It asks us to remember where we began and to carry forward the same spirit and intent that started it all.

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Insights from Speaking Engagements in 2025

At Shahi, we believe in sharing our experiences and learning with all the stakeholders in the fashion industry and beyond. This is an ongoing post to share insights from our speaking engagements in 2025. Read insights from previous years’ engagements: 2024 | 2023.

18 November | Shaping the Fabric Forum 2025

At the Shaping the Fabric Forum 2025, voices from the factory floor took center stage.

Jyoti and Savitri, a Tailor and a Captain, respectively, in Shahi factories, shared what safe, dignified, and empowering work truly means for women who migrate, build new lives, and rise as leaders. They spoke about leaving home for the first time, supporting their families through illness and lockdowns, and managing studies alongside small jobs to fund their education. Both shared their journey of learning new skills on the job: operating machines, managing teams, and even opening their first bank accounts, while adjusting to a new city, a new language, and hostel life.

Representing Shahi, Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development, joined the ‘Women at Work’ panel to reflect on the realities women navigate every day. She highlighted the importance of empowering migrant workers through structured training, counseling, and financial planning. She also advocated creating pathways for career progression and leadership development within organizations. Chitra emphasized that supporting women in leadership, promoting vertical and horizontal mobility, and providing diverse career opportunities strengthen both the individuals and the workplace.

27 October | OECD Inclusive Platform On Due Diligence Policy Co-Operation

The OECD Inclusive Platform on Due Diligence Policy Co-operation held its second meeting on October 27-28, 2025, at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris, focusing on aligning global due diligence legislation and streamlining data exchange across supply chains. Representing the supplier perspective in Plenary 1, Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG & Sustainability at Shahi Exports, advocated for a shift from “risk avoidance” to “joint risk reduction”. During his intervention, he highlighted the growing burden of duplicative reporting and audit fatigue, urging governments to promote policy coherence through the OECD 6-step model and digital interoperability. Ahuja emphasized that for due diligence to drive real-world impact rather than just compliance paperwork, global buyers and regulators must reward transparency and prioritize collaborative remediation over disengagement.

22 October | Global Change Award Summit Stockholm 2025

Anant Ahuja attended the Global Change Award Summit in Stockholm, joining the panel “Inside the Textile Value Chain: How Innovation is Reshaping It.” He shared Shahi’s experience piloting climate-focused innovations across fibres and chemical processes, including next-generation materials and low-impact wet processing technologies, with a focus on scalability and measurable impact.

He highlighted the role of Fashion for Good’s Strategic Supplier Initiative in enabling more structured innovation trials and early collaboration with mill partners. The discussion also addressed challenges in moving from pilot to scale, including delays in commercial adoption, fragmented value chain alignment, and high implementation costs.

Anant emphasized the need for clearer risk-sharing models, stronger brand commitments, and more integrated approaches to accelerate the adoption of innovation across the supply chain.

21 September | New York Climate Week 2025

Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG and Sustainability, joined a session at New York Climate Week, organized by Economic Impact. The discussion brought together global industry voices to explore pressing challenges and opportunities in climate action. Anant contributed perspectives from the supply chain, sharing insights from Shahi’s ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability into manufacturing.

10 September | Launch of CITI’s Improving Transparency for Sustainable Business (ITSB) in India

At the ITSB launch organized by CITI, Mr. Rajneesh Rai, AVP, Environmental Sustainability, joined a panel exploring the role of ESG in transforming India’s textile sector. He emphasized the importance of digital platforms, regular training, and knowledge-sharing to improve factory-level data on water, energy, emissions, and recycling. He also shared that reliable ESG data can support regulatory compliance, enable benchmarking, and inform more strategic sustainability planning. His remarks highlighted that better transparency starts with better tools and capacity for those collecting and using the data.

2 September | 2nd FICCI India Manufacturing Leadership Forum

Anant Ahuja participated in the “Ease of Doing Business for Viksit Bharat” roundtable discussion, focusing on how sustainability fits into India’s manufacturing growth story. He shared Shahi’s perspective on integrating social and environmental metrics into industrial policy. The discussion focused on how transparency, digital infrastructure, and workforce readiness can position India’s manufacturing sector as globally competitive and equitable. Anant emphasized that a future-ready industrial ecosystem must ensure that efficiency is aligned with inclusion and responsibility.

06 August | Brand Supplier Summit

At Tesco’s Brand Supplier Summit, Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development, shared how Shahi has built gender equity over the past 15 years. On the “Gender Ambition” panel, she described how the team created safe, inclusive workplaces, increased women’s representation in committees, and strengthened leadership pathways across levels. Drawing on the ‘Responsible For framework’, she explained how Shahi designed systems that move beyond compliance and support long-term change. She emphasized that advancing gender equity means continuously investing in structures that reflect women’s lived experiences and unlock their leadership potential.

29 July | Women in Manufacturing – Lead with Equity Summit

Deepak Rautela, Assistant Vice President, Organizational Development, joined the “Built to Include: Gender Equity in Indian Manufacturing” Panel hosted by Good Business Lab and EquiLead. He shared how Shahi is embedding gender goals into governance through internal policies, ESG assessments, and a culture of accountability. He outlined our ESG monitoring systems, including scoring frameworks to track progress, and explained how they would be utilized. His insights reflected that meaningful equity work relies on strong internal systems that translate commitments into measurable outcomes and ensure continuous improvement.

22 July | Unlocking Investor Action for a Just Transition in India’s Fashion Sector

Gauri Sharma, General Manager, ESG and Innovation, participated in the “Thread to Transformation” panel in New Delhi, hosted by the Impact Investors Council and the Impact Investing Institute. She emphasized the importance of investors collaborating closely with supply chain partners to understand the on-the-ground realities. Her discussion explored how climate finance and circularity strategies must prioritize worker rights, supplier viability, and local economic resilience. The discussion highlighted the importance of designing investment models that support decarbonization while ensuring that no one is left behind.

24 June | Innovation Forum Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference USA

At the Innovation Forum in the US, Anant Ahuja joined the “Supplier Spotlight” session to speak about reimagining supplier relationships. He stressed the importance of long-term partnerships based on shared goals, co-investment, and responsible purchasing practices. Anant brought up ‘pilot fatigue’ and emphasized the need for scalable, context-aware solutions. He highlighted that sustainability in global supply chains can only be achieved when suppliers are treated as strategic partners and included early in the design of any initiative.

17 June |  Launch of report on Women’s Advancement by RISE

Chitra Prasad, Senior General Manager, Organizational Development, represented Shahi at the launch of a new report by Reimagining Industry to Support Equity (RISE). The report is titled “Shifting perspectives to accelerate women’s advancement and leadership in the garment, footwear and textiles industry – How international buyers and suppliers can take collaborative action”. Chitra spoke as part of the panel and reflected on why advancing women’s leadership in supply chains is a strategic priority for Shahi. She outlined how Shahi has integrated this focus into its core through initiatives such as Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E., EWASE, and STITCH. She shared how these programs have contributed to measurable business outcomes. This includes higher retention, improved productivity, and increased representation of women in supervisory roles. Drawing on both experience and data, she emphasized the importance of moving beyond transactional approaches. She advocated for shared-risk models that enable long-term investment in equitable and resilient supply chains.

04 June | SXSW London 2025 

Anant Ahuja, Director of ESG and Sustainability, participated in the panel “Circular Fashion: Can the Dream Become Reality?” He addressed the realities of scaling circular practices in mass fashion supply chains. He noted that some practices, like water recycling and waste reuse, are already in place. However, material circularity remains limited due to technological maturity, cost, and infrastructure. He also spoke about key barriers to adoption, including the disconnect between R&D and sourcing teams. He emphasized that shifting supplier-buyer relationships from transactional to collaborative is essential.

29 May | Hurun Philanthropy Summit 2025

Anant Ahuja joined a discussion on the panel ‘Philanthropy 3.0 – From Legacy to Leadership in a Digital Age’. It was a cross-sector discussion on how giving is being redefined.

15 May | Apparel Connect 2025

At the 8th edition of Apparel Connect, Sailendra Venkata Banda, General Manager – Logistics at Shahi, joined India’s leading apparel logistics forum. He shared his perspective on strengthening apparel logistics for a global scale. He spoke on a panel hosted by Cargo Connect where he discussed how supply chain resilience, real-time visibility, and technology integration are becoming essential for competitiveness. 

15 May | UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Launch

UNFPA brought together companies from across the region at the launch of The Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business. The group discussed how businesses can embed reproductive rights in the workplace. Anant Ahuja was invited to address the gathering virtually. He showcased Shahi’s work towards improving the health and well-being of our workforce and designing tailored interventions for women employees for a better workplace.

05 May | UNFPA & Essity Nordic Roundtable

At the roundtable discussion titled “Business: Mobilizing the Nordic Private Sector for Women’s Health and Rights at Work”, Anant Ahuja spoke about Shahi’s workplace menstrual health initiative, Project Pravah. He explained how the program improves access, availability, and awareness for over 70,000 women workers. He also shared the results of the UNFPA Return-on-Investment Tool, developed with Good Business Lab (GBL). The program led to a 21 percent reduction in absenteeism, with a projected return of $2.90 for every $1 invested. This highlights that investments in well-being can improve work-life and create measurable business value.

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Read: Fashion for Good And Altmat To Accelerate Adoption of Next-gen Fibres Through Altag® Fibre Club.

The Altag® Fibre Club aims to overcome systemic barriers that hinder the widespread integration of sustainable materials. Challenges include limited production capacity, premium pricing, and fragmented supply chains. The collaborative consortium facilitates seamless integration and provides brands with early access to AltMat’s groundbreaking Altag® fibres. This helps secure supply terms and streamlines processes.

The Altag® Fibre Club partners include: Adalberto, Alok, Arvind, Bhaskar Denim, Jindal Textiles, Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills, Ltd, Positive Materials, Sambandam Spinning Mills Limited, Shahi Exports, Sutlej Textiles, Sweaters India and Industries Limited, and Vrijesh Natural Fibre & Fabrics (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Driving long-term partnerships for change

This initiative marks a significant step forward in our 4-year partnership with AltMat. As a value chain partner, Shahi gains priority access to Altag® yarns. We also play a crucial role in co-developing fabrics with their global network of innovative customers. This collaboration furthers our commitment to fast-track material innovation, enabling it to offer cutting-edge sustainable solutions to brands seeking to reduce their environmental footprint.

The consortium is dedicated to collectively overcoming key adoption barriers, particularly in scalability and cost competitiveness for next-gen materials. The club provides access to sustainable material libraries and aims to distribute costs through shared investment. It, therefore, reduces upfront financial burdens for its members.

We’re excited to leverage our vertically integrated setup to collaborate with brand partners and integrate Altag®’s innovative agri-waste Fibres into scalable textile production. 

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To understand the sector’s unique challenges, the Foundation for Economic Development (FED) conducted a comprehensive case study. The study focused on Shahi Exports, India’s largest apparel manufacturer. FED is an organization focused on promoting sustainable economic growth through research, data-driven insights, and strategic partnerships. It aims to provide key stakeholders with the knowledge needed to address challenges and support development across industries. Shahi’s 50-year journey provides a valuable perspective on both the opportunities and challenges within the Indian textile industry.  

FED’s Analysis of Shahi and its Manufacturing Roadmap

In the case study, ‘Shahi Exports: Stitching India’s Manufacturing Success,’ FED examines Shahi’s history, evolution, and strategies for navigating India’s manufacturing challenges. Shahi’s rapid and sustained growth, high employment rates, and prominent presence in this labor-intensive industry made it a focal case. 

FED’s study highlights the challenges that limit India’s ability to leverage its demographic dividend in manufacturing. These include a strict and complex regulatory framework, lengthy compliance management, customs and trade barriers, and logistical constraints from a highly fragmented textile supply chain. Such factors make it difficult for large-scale manufacturers to thrive. FED’s study examines Shahi’s journey and the factors contributing to its growth. From a small home operation with fewer than 15 employees, Shahi has grown into a major employer. Today, it supports over 100,000 individuals, 70% of whom are women. Shahi’s emphasis on leadership management, high operational efficiency, and a commitment to people and the planet have stood out in FED’s analysis. Here are the identified practices that have driven growth:

• Professional Management in leadership and decision-making
• Operational Efficiency through Vertical Integration
• Scaling operations across 8 Indian states
• Worker-centric policies catering to career, health, and skill development

Industry-Research Collaboration and Actionable Insights

The FED study offers a comprehensive view of the industry’s unique challenges, comparing India with competitors like Vietnam and Bangladesh. It is a combination of academic and industry perspectives, bringing structured methodology and actionable solutions. 

This study also serves as a reminder of the importance of industry partnerships. These partnerships lay a foundation for targeted actions that stakeholders can implement effectively. Building on these insights, the analysis provides a more holistic view of the opportunities that need the synergy of stakeholders across the private and public sectors. Key enabling conditions and ethical business practices can propel the Indian apparel and textile industry towards sustainable growth. To get a holistic view of the study’s insights, read the case study here.

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Founded by Mrs Sarla Ahuja in 1974 from a small home set-up, Shahi has grown to become one of the world’s most trusted apparel manufacturers. Today, Shahi has over fifty factories across eight Indian states and 80% vertical integration of the garment-making process. 

Crafting a New Identity

The brand refresh introduces a new visual identity encapsulating Shahi’s spirit and persona. The new logo features a gradient color palette, shifting from teal to purple, and symbolizes clarity, stability, and wisdom. The spark on the “i” is a testament to its commitment to excellence and a zeal for innovation. 

The new tagline, “Manufacturing with a purpose,” is a nod to the depth of purpose that has been Shahi’s North Star for the last 50 years.

The refined mission statement reads, “We are a one-stop manufacturing destination that invests in people and the planet. Our story goes beyond just fashion – we champion ethical practices, empower our employees, and drive sustainable innovation in the global apparel and textile industry.” 

Harish Ahuja, Managing Director and Chairperson of Shahi Exports, shared,

“As a brand, for 50 years Shahi has been tirelessly committed to building and maintaining the trust of everyone who we work with. With an uncompromising dedication towards the quality of product and service, we have been lucky to have gained a globally trusted position as an ethical apparel manufacturer. In celebration of our milestone 50 years, this rebranding is a testament to our journey and commitment to sustainable fashion. We are proud to say that our new brand identity captures and reflects our values and our vision for the future.”

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The production line is set to be fully operational by the end of this year, boasting an impressive initial production capacity of 500 tons per month. This capacity is slated to double in the future, reaching an ambitious 1000 tons per month.

Mr. Ramalingam T, CEO, Knits Division at Shahi Exports, said,

“This is an important step for us to expand our footprint and focus on enhancing our product portfolio. Our partnership with Little King Global is not just a venture but a commitment to our customers, assuring them access to the very best in class when it comes to synthetic fabrics. Our goal is continual improvement and relentless focus on product development as we continue growing and increasing the scale of operations. We also aim to contribute toward boosting employment generation across the country.” 

With technology and expertise directly from Little King Global, a company revered for over four decades of experience and accredited by major sportswear brands, the Shimoga facility is poised to set a new benchmark in fabric manufacturing. Little King Global’s innovative prowess is renowned, with its flagship innovation center in Taiwan emphasizing relentless advancement, from fibers and yarns to varied knitting and processing techniques.

Mr. Bruce Liao, Vice President, Little King Global, said,

“Our mission is to be a world-class partner in supplying sustainable, functional fabrics for brand customers. Shahi is well known for its ESG framework, worker well-being initiatives, and innovation in the textile and apparel industry. With the global supply chain shift and the rise of India’s manufacturing trend, we should leverage the best resources from advanced technologies, economical production, and talent for our Shimoga plant. Once the plant is operational, we will offer recycled, responsive, and resilient services for our valued customers.”

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