It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Threads of Surat

On the banks of the Tapi flows a city built on ambition. Surat, the synthetic capital of India, weaves nearly 30% of the nation’s synthetic fabric, driving a $10-billion textile economy that employs over 2 million people. This is a series celebrating its enterprise, ingenuity, and unflagging spirit.

Ground Work / MANTRA

29 October 2025

10 minutes

Waterjet looms used for polyester or nylon saree production generate selvedge waste called chindi. Millions of metres of sarees are produced daily, and many players, specially the small ones, simply discard it or burn it in boilers as fuel. Some factories, it is said, substitute 20–30% coal with chindi, burning it at night, often between midnight and dawn, because coal is expensive. This is extremely polluting as it releases toxic emissions.

To Remain Competitive Globally, Surat Must Embrace Sustainability

Surat-based Man Made Textiles Research Association or MANTRA is one of the eight national level Textiles Research Associations (TRAs) and one among the leading in man-made fibres. While the key focus is the textile industry in the synthetic capital of the country, it works on the overall textile development and on technical textiles in general. In conversation with Director Dr Arup Rakshit.

Richa Bansal

Interview

Collection: Threads of Surat

Printing Sector / True Colors / II

16 October 2025

5 minutes

Equipped with an integrated ecosystem, expanding solar footprint, and an ambitious R&D agenda, Surat-headquartered True Colors is being positioned not merely as a printing solutions company but as a platform of possibilities — powering a more digital, sustainable, and self-reliant future for Indian textiles.

The Next Print: How True Colors is Designing its Future

From bootstrapped beginnings to a ₹230 crore powerhouse, the True Colors story is far from over. Having mastered the art of resilience, the company is now writing its next chapter — one defined by expansion, innovation, and self-reliance. This is the second and concluding part of the story.

Richa Bansal

Feature

Collection: Threads of Surat

Printing Sector / True Colors / I

15 October 2025

9 minutes

True Colors envisions being a global leader in the digital printing on fabric in India and the sublimation industry, recognized for innovation, reliability, and excellence. It aims to empower businesses with cutting-edge printing technologies that redefine efficiency, precision, and creativity.

Future in Print: The True Colors Journey

From borrowed ₹4 lakh at a 10x15 feet leased basement to a sweeping 2,00,000 square feet with a turnover of around ₹230 crore, Surat-headquartered True Colors Ltd delivers a vertically integrated ecosystem for digital fabric printing, from machinery to sublimation paper, inks, printing services and countrywide support. Read the journey of a start-up as it navigated the choke points to emerge as a cutting force with a country wide imprint.

Richa Bansal

Feature

Collection: Threads of Surat