Industry leaders, researchers and manufacturers discuss innovation, sustainability, advanced materials and commercial opportunities at Vapi seminar

The Textile Association (India) (TAI), Mumbai Unit, organised a one-day seminar on “Future Trends in Technical Textiles” on 22 August 2026 at Hotel Fortune Park Galaxy, Vapi, Gujarat. The event brought together industry leaders, researchers, technology providers and textile professionals to discuss emerging developments, innovation, sustainability and future opportunities in the technical textiles sector.

The seminar featured an inaugural session, two technical sessions and a panel discussion, with participation from more than 200 delegates.

Inaugural Session Focuses on Innovation and Industry Growth

The seminar was inaugurated by Shri Pramod Khosla, Chairman & Managing Director, Khosla Profil Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. R. R. Patil, Vice President, TAI Mumbai Unit, welcomed the Chief Guest, Dr. Ing. Mohit Raina, Managing Director, Raina Industries Pvt. Ltd., Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mr. Vipin Kalra, Industry Excellence Award recipient Mr. Chakresh Jain, speakers, media representatives and delegates.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. R. K. Vij, President, The Textile Association (India), highlighted the increasing importance of technical textiles in healthcare, infrastructure, automotive, defence, agriculture and aerospace. He stated that future growth would be driven by high-performance materials, smart textiles and sustainability, while emphasising collaboration among industry, academia, research institutions and government to promote innovation, testing, skill development and commercialisation. He noted that India has the opportunity to emerge as a global hub for technical textiles and encouraged stakeholders to convert ideas into partnerships and commercial opportunities.

Dr. Gurudas Aras, Seminar Advisor and Trustee, TAI Mumbai Unit, spoke about the expanding role of technical textiles as high-performance engineering solutions across infrastructure, healthcare, defence, agriculture, automobiles, filtration and sports applications. He stressed the need for greater investment in research and development, indigenous technology, testing, certification, industry-academia collaboration and start-up innovation, adding that India's focus should extend beyond import substitution towards becoming a global innovation and manufacturing hub.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Pramod Khosla reviewed four decades of innovation and discussed the Indian industry's progress in high-performance textiles, particularly filtration fabrics and related technical textile applications.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Ing. Mohit Raina, Managing Director, Raina Industries Private Limited, highlighted innovation in technical textiles for construction, infrastructure, marine applications and textile reinforced concrete technology. He said innovation in raw materials and specialised yarns remains critical for advanced applications, noting that his work in this field has received a national award.

Industry Awards Presented

During the event, TAI Mumbai Unit presented:

• Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Vipan Kalra, Chairman, Madura Industrial Textiles Ltd.

• Industry Excellence Award to Mr. Chakresh Jain, Group President – Technical, Supreme Nonwovens Industries Pvt. Ltd.

The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Haresh B. Parekh, Convenor of the seminar and Honorary Secretary, TAI Mumbai Unit.

Technical Session I

The first technical session featured presentations covering manufacturing transformation, machinery and advanced textile technologies.

Presentations included:

• "From Traditional to Technical Textiles: A Transformation Roadmap for Indian Manufacturers" by Mr. Varqha Bagwan, Scientific Researcher and Country Representative – India, Fabric Production, ITA – Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
• "Advanced Coating & Lamination Architectures for Technical Textiles" by Mr. Shridhar Dixit, General Manager – Sales & Marketing, Yamuna Machine Works Pvt. Ltd.
• "Warp Knitting Technical Textiles and Coating Technology for Technical Textiles" by Mr. Manish Mashilkar and Mr. Deepak Karade, A.T.E. Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
• "Elevating Athletic Performance with Textile Finishes" by Mrs. Manjiri Paranjape, Vice President (R&D), Rossari Biotech Ltd.
• "Technical Textiles — From Yarn to Performance" by Mr. Anish Jiwarajka, Executive Director, Jiwarajka Textile Industries.

The presentations were followed by formal and informal interactions between speakers and delegates.

Technical Session II

The second technical session focused on protective textiles, start-up opportunities, machinery innovation and sustainability.

Presentations included:

• "Emerging Growth Opportunities - Protective Textiles" by Mr. Avinash Misar, Director & CEO, Coreshield Industries Pvt. Ltd.
• "Startup Opportunities in Technical Textiles: From Innovation to Commercialisation" by Mr. Dayal Mehta Jain, CEO & Business Evangelist, Alliance of Indian Technical Textile Industries & Startups (AiTTiS), Country Head & CGO, AF. Corp., Taiwan.
• "Technical Textiles Innovation & Machinery Excellence" by Mr. Paresh Shah, Business Head, Rabatex Industries Private Limited.
• "Sustainability in Fashion / Textile & Certification" by Mr. Abhishek Shankar Kamble, Director, Clean Globe India Pvt. Ltd.
• "Focus on Advance Machinery for Activewear/Sportswear | Bico-Component Yarn Demand, Fiber Architectures, Market Insights | Barmag Bico Spinning Technology & Concepts" by Mr. Sudipto Mandal and Mr. Shridhar Dhumal, Barmag India Pvt. Ltd.

Delegates participated in discussions and exchanged ideas with the speakers following the presentations.

Panel Discussion Examines Future of Technical Textiles

The seminar concluded with a panel discussion on "Future of Technical Textiles: Innovation, Sustainability & Market Readiness."

The discussion was moderated by Mr. Avinash Mayekar, Managing Director, Suvin Expo LLP.

Panel members included:

• Mr. Mahesh Bapat, Founder & CEO, Threads Technology India
• Mr. Chandrashekhar V. Kanade, Chief Operating Officer – Technical Textiles, Strata Geosystems (India) Pvt. Ltd.
• Mr. Tejas Mashruwala, CEO/President, Fiberglass Division, SKAPS Industries
• Mr. Avinash Misar, Director & CEO, Coreshield Industries Pvt. Ltd.

The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which delegates and panel members discussed the future prospects of India's technical textiles industry.

According to the organisers, the seminar was attended by more than 200 participants, with discussions covering innovation, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, commercialisation and future market opportunities.