NITRA and NBRI Collaborate on Eco-Friendly Textile Fibre
ECONOMY & POLICY

NITRA and NBRI Collaborate on Eco-Friendly Textile Fibre

The Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA), Ghaziabad, has signed an MoU with the CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, to explore milkweed (Asclepias) as a sustainable natural fibre for textiles. The collaboration supports India’s push for eco-friendly innovation in the textile sector.

The MoU was announced in the presence of Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, who reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting indigenous and environmentally responsible alternatives, Apparel Resources India reported.

The joint study will focus on genomic analysis of the plant to understand its fibre structure and explore its use as a substitute for synthetic materials.

Milkweed is known for being lightweight, biodegradable, and thermally insulating—making it a promising option for applications in home furnishings, technical textiles, and insulation. However, it hasn’t yet been widely adopted in large-scale manufacturing.

The NITRA-NBRI partnership aims to improve fibre yield, develop sustainable harvesting practices, and explore commercially viable uses. Both institutions believe the project could help build an alternative raw material base for the Indian textile industry.

The initiative is also being seen as a step toward Aatmanirbhar Bharat, reducing reliance on imported synthetics and promoting domestic innovation. It’s expected to boost environmental sustainability and economic resilience in textile production.

The Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA), Ghaziabad, has signed an MoU with the CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, to explore milkweed (Asclepias) as a sustainable natural fibre for textiles. The collaboration supports India’s push for eco-friendly innovation in the textile sector. The MoU was announced in the presence of Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, who reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting indigenous and environmentally responsible alternatives, Apparel Resources India reported. The joint study will focus on genomic analysis of the plant to understand its fibre structure and explore its use as a substitute for synthetic materials. Milkweed is known for being lightweight, biodegradable, and thermally insulating—making it a promising option for applications in home furnishings, technical textiles, and insulation. However, it hasn’t yet been widely adopted in large-scale manufacturing. The NITRA-NBRI partnership aims to improve fibre yield, develop sustainable harvesting practices, and explore commercially viable uses. Both institutions believe the project could help build an alternative raw material base for the Indian textile industry. The initiative is also being seen as a step toward Aatmanirbhar Bharat, reducing reliance on imported synthetics and promoting domestic innovation. It’s expected to boost environmental sustainability and economic resilience in textile production.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code