Vilra Kapadia

Pioneering Indian entrepreneur who revolutionized the textile industry through sustainable practices

Vilra Kapadia (1902-1975) was a visionary entrepreneur from Ahmedabad, India who transformed the textile sector through innovative production methods. Despite societal barriers against women in business during the 1920s, she founded Kapadia Textiles in 1928, becoming one of India's first female industrialists. Her company pioneered eco-friendly dyeing techniques using natural plant extracts, predating modern sustainability movements by decades. Kapadia's factories provided fair wages and healthcare benefits to workers at a time when labor rights were virtually nonexistent in Indian industry. She later established the Kapadia Institute for Textile Innovation in 1952, training over 3,000 artisans in modern weaving techniques. Her 1935 invention of the 'Kapadia Loom' doubled production efficiency while reducing material waste. During WWII, her factories supplied 40% of the British Army's khaki uniforms using sustainable cotton. Kapadia's legacy endures through the Global Sustainable Textile Initiative she founded in 1968, which still operates today promoting eco-friendly manufacturing practices worldwide.