Fairtrade International was the project’s lead applicant and coordinator, while implementation was primarily carried out by Fairtrade India and Partners in Change (PiC), an Indian civil society organisation focused on responsible business and sustainability. Max Havelaar France and Fairtrade Germany led the market-linkage activities between suppliers in India and buyers in the European Union.

The project, which ended today on 15 September 2026, brought together smallholder cotton farmers, textile manufacturers, industry associations, brands, and consumers across India, with a particular focus on the state of Tamil Nadu, demonstrating that sustainable and responsible production can be practical, impactful, and commercially viable throughout the supply chain.

The fashion and textile industry is resource and chemical-intensive and accounts for about 8–10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. India is the world's second-largest textile and garment producer and is working to address this global challenge. Some 80 percent of the country's manufacturing capacity lies with micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), many of which operate in fragmented clusters with limited resources as they struggle to meet complex and growing environmental and sustainability requirements.

 “Over the past four years, this project has shown what is possible when we bring together farmers, manufacturers, businesses, brands, and other stakeholders across the textile value chain around a shared vision for sustainability,” said Abhishek Jani, CEO of Fairtrade India. “For Fairtrade India, it has been particularly important to translate sustainability ambitions into practical solutions that work for farmers and MSMEs on the ground, while also creating stronger connections to markets. I am confident that the tools, knowledge, and partnerships developed through the project will continue to support the transition towards a more resilient, responsible, and sustainable textile sector in India.”

In its four years, the SWITCH-Asia project delivered results across supply chain that included the following:

Climate-resilient farming. Producer organisations with more than 1,500 cotton farmer members were introduced to digital technologies based on IoT and AI, including micro-weather advisory and monitoring systems and circular bio-waste management solutions. More than 11 Fairtrade producer organisations covering over 9.500 farmer members were involved in the carbon measurement and reporting research. 

MSME capacity building. More than 700 textile manufacturers and producer organisations benefitted from training workshops, advisory services, and awareness events across the state of Tamil Nadu.  Over 85 percent of them were MSMEs who strengthened their ability to measure GHG emissions, their water footprint, and the chemical use needed for the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR)-based Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting and brand reporting requirements.

Digital sustainability tools. SustainSwitch, a digital platform available in local languages that supports MSMEs to measure, monitor, and improve sustainability performance through simplified ESG assessments and Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon footprint tracking was launched. The digital platform was complemented by the Sustainability Clinic, a free, on-demand technical helpline service that supports manufacturers in navigating complex compliance requirements.

Market growth. Throughout the project’s tenure, more than 100 European Union and Indian companies, brands, and retailers explored sourcing opportunities from sustainable Fairtrade cotton supply chains in India. A total of 36 confirmed sourcing commitments on Fairtrade terms from India.

Consumer engagement. The Sustainable Fashion Consumption Youth Campaign based on the RE8 principles - Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Repurpose, Recycle, Restore - engaged about 50,000 young people and urban consumers across Indian schools and colleges. The campaign’s impact will continue with trained teachers who are now embedding sustainable fashion concepts into classroom activities.

The project also included the first Fairtrade Textile Forum that was held in Paris in October 2024 where new independent research was unveiled. Among the many findings, the research highlighted that Fairtrade organic and in conversion cotton had lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower water footprints than conventional cotton. 

The SWITCH-Asia project’s impact was not only demonstrated by the number of people and businesses reached, but also in the partnerships, tools, and resources that will continue to operate in the future. Finally, the project also showed that transforming the textile sector requires collaboration across the entire supply chain - farmers equipped with climate-smart solutions, manufacturers supported with practical sustainability knowledge, brands connected to more transparent supply chains, and consumers informed to make good choices.

To learn more about the SWITCH-Asia project click here. To find out about Fairtrade’s work in the textile sector, click here.