Canopy, the Canada-based environmental nonprofit, has hosted a roundtable in New Delhi in collaboration with Invest India and the United Nations India to explore opportunities for scaling next-generation fiber production. The event brought together industry leaders, investors and government representatives to discuss the use of agricultural residues and textile waste as low-carbon feedstocks for India’s textile and fashion sector.
According to Canopy’s post-event summary, India produces approximately 500 million tons of agricultural residues and eight million tons of textile waste annually. Redirecting even a portion of this toward fiber production could significantly reduce environmental impact.
The initiative aims to build a $2 billion blended-finance platform to support new mills, recycling infrastructure and feedstock logistics. Canopy estimates that India could produce over ten million tons of next-gen fibers per year by 2033, creating a $15 billion investment opportunity. The platform’s full structure is expected to be announced at COP30.
Stakeholders also highlighted the potential co-benefits: reducing the burning of crop residues – which causes widespread seasonal air pollution – and offering new income sources for rural farmers and waste collectors.
Canopy is now working to align federal and state policymakers, brands, development banks and suppliers to advance pilot projects and policy support. Canopy has recapped the roundtable’s findings in a public article.
