Canopy x Lakmé Fashion Week

MUMBAI Friday, March 28, 2025 – Yesterday, solutions-driven environmental not-for-profit Canopy, in collaboration with Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, presented an exclusive panel discussion exploring the crucial role of Indian fashion designers and brands in advancing Next Gen material innovation and circular fashion. Next Gen Solutions are low-carbon alternatives to conventional wood-based paper, paper packaging, and textiles that use inputs that would otherwise be landfilled (discarded textiles) or burned (agricultural residues). Next Gen materials help protect forests, advance livelihoods for farmers and textile collectors, and build resilient supply chains for fashion brands.

Writer Namrata Zakaria moderated the panel, which featured Canopy’s Executive Director Nicole Rycroft, iconic Indian fashion designer Amit Aggarwal, sustainable fashion star Urvashi Kaur, and ​​Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani and former Head of Vogue Talent. 

Panelists highlighted India’s enormous potential to lead the global fashion industry’s transition to more circular materials, given its rich textile heritage, entrepreneurial culture, technical expertise, and abundant agricultural and textile wastes. They shared how Indian designers are fusing centuries-old techniques with cutting-edge Next Gen materials to create low-impact, high-style textiles. Canopy’s role in connecting designers and brands to these exciting forest-free alternatives was spotlighted, alongside calls for greater transparency and collaboration across the value chain. With 100 million tonnes of agricultural residues burned annually in India, the panel underscored a powerful opportunity: to curb pollution, catalyze circular innovation, and reimagine waste as the foundation for a regenerative fashion future.

“India has a remarkable opportunity to be an early manufacturing hub of Next Gen materials for the global fashion industry as well as for its designers and brands to set the pace for sustainability,” noted Canopy Founder and Executive Director,  Nicole Rycroft. “Next Gen materials are the future of fashion. They build supply chain resiliency, deliver performance, and show that being stylish doesn’t have to cost the Earth.”

“It’s not just about creating sustainable fashion — it’s about building communities, projects, and systems that make responsibility the foundation of the industry,” remarked Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani, at the panel. 

Speaking on the association, Jaspreet Chandhok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Limited said, “Over the past decade, what began as Sustainable Fashion Day has grown into a comprehensive commitment that shapes every aspect of our industry — from the rich legacy of Indian textiles to pioneering new materials like innovative fibers and agri-waste solutions. At Reliance Brands, I believe in honoring our heritage while driving innovation, and our collaboration with Canopy stands as a true testament to that vision — bringing together designers, thought leaders, and brands to create a future where fashion and nature thrive together.”

The event highlights Canopy’s collaboration with leading global brands to transform supply chains and protect Ancient and Endangered Forests.

About Canopy
Canopy is a solutions-driven environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting the world’s forests, species, and climate. Working with 1,000+ global brands, Canopy drives transformative action to eliminate the use of Ancient and Endangered Forests in packaging and textiles while scaling Next Gen Solutions. www.canopyplanet.org

About House of Lakmē
The House of Lakmē, is India’s no.1 colour cosmetics and leading premium skincare brand from Hindustan Unilever Ltd. The brand has been the pioneer of the make-up and colour cosmetics in India since 1952 with 1000+ SKUs that push the trendsetting envelope of beauty and fashion. Combining international cosmetic technology with an in-depth understanding of the Indian consumer’s needs, the House of Lakmē offers a comprehensive beauty experience through its extensive product portfolio, for fashionistas to embrace beauty unapologetically. www.lakmeindia.com

About Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI)
A non-profit organisation, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), is the apex body of fashion design in India, represented by over 400 members. Founded on the premise of promoting, nurturing, and representing the best of fashion and design talent in the country; its prime objective is to propagate the business of fashion. FDCI stays true to its commitment to promote the ‘Make in India’ label as handlooms take centre stage, in a country, whose heritage is  soaked in the flavours of indigenous crafts. www.fdci.org

About Reliance Brands
Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd and began operations in 2007 with a mandate to launch and build global brands in luxury to premium segments across fashion and lifestyle. Its current portfolio of brand partnerships comprises Armani Exchange, Armani Caffe, Balenciaga, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Canali, Coach, Diesel, Dune, EA7, Elan Cafe, Emporio Armani, Gas, Giorgio Armani, Hamleys, Hugo Boss, Hunkemoller, Iconix, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, La Martina, Lenscrafters, Manish Malhotra, Michael Kors, Mothercare, Muji, Paul & Shark, Paul Smith, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pret A Manger, Raghavendra Rathore, Salvatore Ferragamo, Satya Paul, Steve Madden, Superdry, Scotch & Soda, Tiffany & Co., Tod’s, Tory Burch, Tumi, Valentino, Versace, Villeroy & Boch, West Elm, Zegna. RBL today operates 1,621 doors split into 934 stores and 687 shop-in-shops in India. In the past five years, RBL has also invested in building and operating homegrown designer brands besides acquiring the iconic British toy retailer Hamleys. Globally, Hamleys has 191 stores across 14 countries. For more information, please visit: https://relianceretail.com/partner-brands.html

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