Global, December 2025 — India's fashion industry is entering a transformative era, evolving from a global manufacturing and export hub into a comprehensive ecosystem built around sustainable design, responsible production, innovative branding, and circular business models. These insights were presented by Coherent Market Insights (CMI) during SustainableNXT 2025, held at Le Méridien Gurugram.

Representing CMI, Mr. Mohit Shrivastava, AVP – Research & Consulting, delivered a keynote session titled "Strategic Fashion Leadership: Using Insight and Regulation to Drive Sustainable Growth." His presentation explored how sustainability, supported by market intelligence and progressive regulatory frameworks, is reshaping India's fashion value chain and creating new opportunities for long-term industry growth.

Sustainable Fashion Market Maintains Strong Global Momentum

CMI's latest research indicates that the global sustainable fashion industry continues to gain momentum as consumers, businesses, and governments increasingly prioritize environmental responsibility.

The Global Sustainable Fashion Market was valued at US$ 9,194.2 million in 2025 and is projected to reach US$ 17,769.2 million by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9%. Rising adoption of eco-friendly materials, stricter environmental regulations, and growing demand for ethical products are expected to support continued market expansion.

Among all regions, Asia Pacific is forecast to register the highest growth, with an estimated 11.7% CAGR, driven by expanding manufacturing capabilities and stronger sustainability initiatives across emerging economies.

India Strengthens Its Position in Sustainable Fashion

CMI's findings show that India is becoming an increasingly important player in the global sustainable fashion landscape.

The India Sustainable Fashion Market was valued at US$ 296.2 million in 2025 and is expected to reach approximately US$ 721.4 million by 2032, registering a 13.6% CAGR. This represents nearly 2.4 times market growth, creating an incremental opportunity of around US$ 425.2 million over the forecast period.

According to the research, India's competitive advantage is shifting beyond large-scale textile production toward building an integrated ecosystem that combines sustainable sourcing, product development, manufacturing, branding, retail, and circular economy practices.

Apparel and Footwear Continue to Shape Market Growth

The research also highlighted evolving retail trends that are supporting the industry's transition.

Fashion and apparel remained the leading contributors to organized retail demand, accounting for nearly 40% of retail leasing activity across India's seven major cities during Q1 2024.

The footwear market is emerging as another key growth engine, with an estimated value between US$ 12 billion and US$ 18 billion. Per-capita footwear ownership increased from 1.9 pairs in FY20 to 2.1 pairs in FY25, while men's footwear contributed approximately 58% of overall sales. These trends present significant opportunities for sustainable product innovation, recyclable materials, and circular manufacturing solutions.

Addressing Infrastructure Challenges for Long-Term Success

Despite the positive outlook, CMI emphasized that sustained growth will require continued investment in critical infrastructure. Expanding textile recycling capabilities, improving supply chain transparency, strengthening traceability systems, and accelerating circular economy initiatives will be essential to supporting India's long-term leadership in sustainable fashion.

The discussion at SustainableNXT 2025 also explored how businesses can respond to evolving environmental regulations while maintaining profitability and strengthening their competitiveness in global markets. CMI's research provided a data-driven perspective to support strategic planning and evidence-based decision-making across the fashion value chain.

About SustainableNXT 2025

SustainableNXT 2025 is a premier conference and exhibition focused on advancing sustainability across the fashion, apparel, textile, and footwear industries. Held at Le Méridien Gurugram on December 11, 2025, the event brought together brands, manufacturers, policymakers, technology providers, and sustainability experts to discuss circular economy strategies, responsible sourcing, regulatory developments, and innovations driving the future of fashion.

About Coherent Market Insights

Coherent Market Insights (CMI) is a global market intelligence and consulting firm headquartered in India with operations in the United States and strategic partnerships across the United Kingdom and Japan. Serving clients in more than 32 countries, CMI combines the expertise of 300+ full-time consultants with a worldwide network of domain specialists across 24 countries to deliver actionable insights that enable organizations to make informed business decisions in rapidly evolving markets.

For more information, visit: www.coherentmarketinsights.com