An intensive 11-day program in India's craft traditions and sustainable design, at the source of the world's oldest textile cultures.
India is the world's second-largest textile producer, with over 3,000 years of unbroken hand-craft tradition. Varanasi silk, Rajasthani block print, Kashmiri Pashmina, Odisha Ikat, these exist in their authentic form nowhere else. In a world where sustainable fashion has become the industry's defining concern, India is the global center of authentic craftsmanship and ethical sourcing.
This 11-day residential academic program is designed for international students and professionals in fashion design, textile design, sustainable fashion, product design, visual arts, and craft studies. It is developed in partnership with NIFT Delhi and NID Ahmedabad, among Asia's most respected design institutions.
This is not a shopping tour. It is a structured academic experience: workshops with master craftspeople, sessions at leading design institutions, and direct engagement with India's textile and sustainable design ecosystem.
Participation is by application only. Each cohort is limited to 20 participants, selected through a review of academic background and statement of purpose.
India's textile traditions are not preserved in museums, they are practiced daily by millions of artisans. Block printing, hand-loom weaving, natural dyeing, and embroidery techniques passed through generations remain economically and culturally alive.
Long before "sustainable fashion" became a global movement, India's craft economy embodied its principles: natural materials, low-impact processes, and ethical, community-based production. Students learn sustainability where it is practiced, not theorized.
The National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad) and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (Delhi) are ranked among Asia's leading design schools. Access to their faculty and facilities offers an academic anchor no commercial tour can match.
The program moves from the design institutions of Delhi through the block-print and textile markets of Jaipur to the design capital of Ahmedabad, home to the National Institute of Design.
| Days | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival, orientation, program briefing | Delhi |
| Day 2–3 | NIFT Delhi workshops + textile museum | Delhi |
| Day 4 | Travel to Agra, Taj Mahal + Mughal textile heritage | Agra |
| Day 5 | Travel to Jaipur, block printing workshop | Jaipur |
| Day 6 | Artisan villages + natural dyeing | Jaipur |
| Day 7 | Jaipur textile markets + design session | Jaipur |
| Day 8 | Travel to Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad |
| Day 9–10 | NID Ahmedabad workshops + Calico Textile Museum | Ahmedabad |
| Day 11 | Final session + certification + departure | Ahmedabad |
Detailed daily schedule provided upon enrollment confirmation.
Institutional access, meetings, workshops, and certification are identical across all three tiers, only accommodation and ground transport change.
5-star hotel accommodation throughout (10 nights), across Delhi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad.
Executive transport throughout, a private dedicated vehicle for the group.
4-star hotel accommodation throughout (10 nights), across Delhi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad.
Shared tourist van transport throughout.
Draft tier, confirm your 4-star hotel partners in each city before this goes live.
University dormitory or guesthouse accommodation (10 nights), where available across Delhi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad.
Shared tourist van transport throughout.
Draft tier, confirm dormitory/guesthouse partners in each city before this goes live.
Every participant who completes the program receives two formal certificates.
Issued by NIFT Delhi, NID Ahmedabad, or the designated partner institution, acknowledging successful completion of the academic component, suitable for academic transcripts and professional portfolios.
Documenting the full program: cities visited, institutions accessed, workshops completed, and engagements attended.
For universities: The program is designed to be reportable as international academic engagement. Full documentation is available on request.
Complete program details, day-by-day schedule, and application information.
Participation is by application only. Each cohort is limited to 20 participants, selected through individual review.
Begin Application