United Nations, has come forward with the fourth edition of Women Transforming India Awards to recognize the efforts of women entrepreneurs who are challenging conventions and playing a pivotal role in transforming India.
This year a young Indian entrepreneur Shikha Shah, Founder & Co-CEO, Fibre Labs won the award for her alternative fiber from agricultural waste.
Fibre Labs converts plant stems and agricultural waste into a sustainable and functionally superior textile which have better performance characteristics than cotton and crude based textiles. All these with the added advantage of 100% green processing.
The company’s fibers are:
Environmentally Sustainable
- 1/4th the amount of water cotton uses
- Zero/Minimal Insecticides
- Zero/Minimal Pesticides
- Stops burning of agriculture waste
Functionally Superior
- Up to 4x more durable than cotton
- Breathable – keeps the wearer warm in winters and cool in summers
- Anti-microbial – keeps skin infections and bad smell away
- Anti- UV
Socially Responsible
- Up to 300% increase in farmers income in the Indian subcontinent
- Increased livelihood opportunities in remote villages and hilly areas
- Farmers sell part of the plant previously discarded or burnt
“At Fibre Labs, we pull in sustainability, functionality and economic excellence in every inch of fiber we manufacture. These fibers are not only viable than ever before but are also compatible and scalable with the current textile infrastructure,” said Shikha Shah.
“My key focus is to scale up the science; design and execute supply chain strategies; interact with brands and manage relations,” Shikha added.
Fibre Labs has earned the appreciation from the Ministry of Textile, as well as from IIM-Ahmedabad, Gujarat University and other institutions. In the next five months, Shikha plans to expand her textile production capacity by four times.
