As the Capital readies to host India’s biggest textile Expo, Bharat Tex 2026, it’s sure to give FOMO to those who aren’t in the direct line of this business yet wish to be part of all things related to textile. So, if you're in Delhi this week and don’t get access to Bharat Mandapam to witness the world’s largest textile trade fair in India, we suggest you take a detour and instead experience these two events — Weave The Future 4.0 and Indie Haat 2026.With precursor, parallel events such as Indie Haat and Weave the Future 4.0, those keen to be part of Bharat Tex 2026 can gain access to interactive workshops and activities at Dilli Haat and National Crafts Museum. (Photos: Facebook (For representational purposes only))Here you won’t just get to visit stalls where you can shop, but will also get to learn, enjoy the craft with master artisans, see homegrown crafts, upskill in mending garments, and contribute towards upcycled fashion. It’s like witnessing India’s textile traditions coming alive in an all-new avatar!Waste not, wear more!That T-shirt gathering dust at the back of your cupboard or the pair of jeans you were planning to discard may still have plenty of life left in them. Showing Delhiites how to repair, reuse and reimagine what they already own is Weave The Future 4.0, a precursor to the third edition of Bharat Tex 2026.Open to everyone, this six-day festival is designed as an interactive experience where visitors can shop, learn, participate and see textile circularity in action. Bringing together more than 100 enterprises, brands, artisans and weaver collectives, designers, start-ups, social enterprises and innovators from across India, it aims to enable fashion lovers to browse upcycled garments, handloom-based products, home furnishings, accessories and footwear. But that’s not all for curious shoppers can even discover how fabric scraps and discarded materials are transformed into products with renewed purpose. Repair and restoration, recycling technology, material innovation, thrift and sustainable fashion will all find space here.“India’s handloom and textile heritage shows that repair, reuse, repurposing and value maximisation have been practised for generations. So this event brings traditional knowledge and contemporary innovation together to demonstrate how craft-led solutions can contribute to a more sustainable and resource-efficient future,” says Dr M Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles.A key attraction will be hands-on repair and visible-mending workshops, where visitors can learn how a tear, stain or worn-out patch can become part of a garment’s design rather than the reason it is thrown away. Demonstrations will also show how discarded textile fibres can be converted into paper and other value-added products.Visitors can walk through interactive installations on circular design, participate in textile and footwear collection drives for responsible recycling and explore thrift initiatives that encourage garments to change owners rather than end up in landfills. A silent auction will continue through the festival, aimed at raising proceeds for animal-welfare initiatives.The event will also introduce visitors to a national textile-waste innovation challenge titled What Is It Made Of, aimed at encouraging circularity, material awareness and new solutions within the textile sector.The takeaway is not just to buy another sustainable product. It's also to look again at what is already in one’s wardrobe, repair before replacing, and begin treating textile waste as a usable resource.Catch It LiveWhat: Weave The Future 4.0Where: Dilli Haat, INAWhen: July 12 to 17Timing: 11am to 8pmEntry: ₹30 for adults; ₹20 for children; ₹100 for foreign nationalsNearest Metro Station: Dilli Haat – INA on the Yellow and Pink Lines Meet the hands behind the handmadeA handwoven textile is not merely fabric. It carries the imprint of a region, a community and, often, skills passed down over several generations. At Indie Haat 2026, Delhiites will get a chance to meet the people keeping those traditions alive and take their creations home.This showcase will bring Indian craftsmanship directly to shoppers, craft enthusiasts, and design lovers as over 48 artisans and weavers from different parts of the country, along with 12 design-led labels founded by National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) alumni, are featured here. Visitors could even browse authentic handlooms, handcrafted products and contemporary collections that reinterpret Indian craft practices for modern wardrobes and homes.Organised by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and Development Commissioner (Handlooms), it will have live craft demonstrations to offer a closer look at the time, dexterity and knowledge that go into handmade products. Instead of encountering a finished saree, textile or decorative object without context, one will be able to watch makers at work and understand the techniques, materials and regional stories behind what they create.Curated by NIFT, this showcase attempts to present traditional artistry in a contemporary and engaging manner without reducing craft to a nostalgic display. But there’s another layer to the experience. The National Crafts Museum houses galleries of Indian textiles and crafts alongside a village complex and regular craft-demonstration programmes. This will allow shoppers to view what is being sold at Indie Haat, within the wider history and living context of Indian making traditions.Textile lovers will also get access to creators, rather than just retailers, and see the story behind a product, which is otherwise probably difficult to find beyond its region of origin. So in an age of rapidly changing trends and anonymous mass production, this is where you will get to put a face, a pair of hands and know the history behind every purchase you make as you experience the colours, craftsmanship, and leave knowing exactly who made what you bought.Catch It LiveWhat: Indie Haat 2026Where: National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy, Bhairon Marg, Pragati MaidanWhen: July 10 to 19Timing: 10am to 8pmEntry: FreeNearest Metro Station: Supreme Court on the Blue LineFor more, follow @htcity.delhijunction