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Sustainability & Recycling

Century Enka Charts High Performance Textile Growth Through Sustainability And Technical Innovation

• By  Textile Excellence
• April 30, 2026

Century Enka Ltd. is sharpening its focus on technical textiles, recycled materials and advanced manufacturing capabilities as India’s textile industry accelerates toward higher value and performance driven applications. Speaking during an interaction ahead of Techtextil Frankfurt 2026, Managing Director and CEO Suresh Sodani outlined the company’s long-term strategy centred on technical innovation, sustainability and global supply chain integration.

The company, one of India’s major producers of nylon and polyester filament yarns, sees strong momentum emerging across technical textile categories linked to mobility, infrastructure and industrial manufacturing. According to Sodani, segments such as Mobiltech, Indutech and Geotextiles are expected to become major growth drivers over the next decade, supported by India’s expanding automotive ecosystem and infrastructure investments.

“We intend to get into products used in Mobiltech like seat belt yarns and at a later stage even airbag fabrics,” Sodani said during the interaction. He explained that rising localisation in automotive manufacturing and stricter safety standards are creating demand for specialised high tenacity yarns and engineered textile materials.

Century Enka is also evaluating opportunities in conveyor belt fabrics and geotextile applications used in highways, railways and erosion control systems. Industry estimates indicate that India’s technical textile market could cross US$40 billion within the next few years, supported by government incentives under the National Technical Textiles Mission and expanding industrial consumption.

Sustainability remains central to the company’s growth roadmap. Century Enka recently introduced “New Inile,” a recycled nylon yarn brand manufactured through chemical recycling technology. The initiative focuses on converting pre consumer and post-consumer nylon waste into premium quality yarn suitable for textile and industrial applications.

“The waste instead of going to landfill is getting reprocessed into products equivalent to virgin quality,” Sodani noted, highlighting the growing importance of circular manufacturing practices across global textile supply chains.

The company is simultaneously increasing its renewable energy footprint to reduce operational emissions and improve energy efficiency. Sodani stated that Century Enka aims to increase renewable energy utilisation from nearly 25% to around 50% over the next few years.

Global sourcing shifts and geopolitical uncertainties are also opening fresh opportunities for Indian manufacturers. According to Sodani, international buyers are actively seeking diversified sourcing destinations beyond conventional supply hubs.

“Everybody through their risk management wants a diversified supply chain,” he said, adding that India’s recent Free Trade Agreements and improving manufacturing ecosystem could significantly strengthen the country’s positioning in global textile exports.

Century Enka believes the future of textiles will increasingly depend on performance engineering, sustainability credentials and technological integration rather than commodity led manufacturing alone. The company’s investment strategy reflects a broader transformation underway across India’s textile industry, where technical capability and sustainable production are becoming critical competitive differentiators in global markets. 

Sustainability remains central to the company’s growth roadmap. Century Enka recently introduced “New Inile,” a recycled nylon yarn brand manufactured through chemical recycling technology. The initiative focuses on converting pre consumer and post-consumer nylon waste into premium quality yarn suitable for textile and industrial applications. “The waste instead of going to landfill is getting reprocessed into products equivalent to virgin quality,” Sodani noted, highlighting the growing importance of circular manufacturing practices across global textile supply chains.