A rare blend of tradition, sustainability, and innovation took centre stage at the National Conclave on Sustainable Textiles, where Manipur’s T. Bijyashanti Devi captivated delegates with a live demonstration of her exquisite lotus fabric — a luxurious, eco-friendly textile quite literally drawn from nature’s waters.

Founder of Sanajing Saa Thambal Pvt. Ltd., Bijyashanti Devi showcased how the humble lotus stem, found abundantly in ponds and wetlands, can be transformed into fine, breathable cloth. The process demands both precision and patience — fibres are carefully extracted from the stem, hand-twisted, and spun into delicate yarns, with a single garment taking days or even weeks to complete.

Her presentation — steeped in craft and symbolism — turned heads at the conclave. The lotus,

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