Carbon Footprint Management and Sustainable Transition in the Indian Textile Industry: Cross-Firm Insights into Decarbonization Strategies

The global textile industry remains a structurally carbon-intensive sector, with substantial contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions arising from energy-intensive production processes, intricate supply chains, and resource-dependent raw material systems. In India, the textile sector functions as a pivotal economic driver while simultaneously representing a significant environmental burden, contributing an estimated 60–70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually. Despite mounting regulatory and market pressures to adopt sustainable practices, firm-level empirical evidence on decarbonisation strategies remains fragmented and contextually heterogeneous.,This study develops and empirically validates a multi-firm analytical framework to examine carbon emission profiles and mitigation strategies within the Indian textile industry. Leveraging secondary data from sustainability disclosures and annual reports of five major firms—Arvind Ltd, Vardhman Textiles Ltd, Trident Ltd, Welspun Living Ltd, and Raymond Lifestyle Ltd—over the 2020–2025 period, the research integrates ESG metrics with sectoral emission mapping to uncover structural and strategic variations in decarbonisation approaches. Analytical techniques include comparative emission profiling, pathway classification, and cross-firm evaluation of mitigation efficacy.,Findings indicate that decarbonisation is non-uniform across firms, with strategic pathways shaped by organizational scale, technological capabilities, market orientation, and global integration. Five dominant decarbonisation archetypes emerge: transformational (innovation-led), efficiency-based (cost-optimization), scale-driven (operational intensity focus), compliance-driven (export-oriented ESG alignment), and brand-driven (supply-chain sustainability emphasis). While leading firms exhibit progress in renewable energy adoption, circular economy practices, and process innovation, systemic challenges—including limited Scope 3 emission reporting, capital constraints, and technological adoption barriers—persist, hindering an industry-wide low-carbon transition.