The Textile Institute has announced the launch of its prestigious 2011 Medals and Awards. Following on from the success in 2010, the Awards are expected to acknowledge the dedicated work of individuals and provide recognition for organisations showing outstanding achievement.

The Medals and Awards are presented under the authority of the Institutes Council, and are conferred upon individuals and organisations in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the textile industries and/or the work of The Textile Institute itself. The closing date for nominations is 15 June 2011.

The Institute is currently seeking nominations from both members and industry for Medals and Awards 2011 in the following categories:

Member Awards

Industry and Non-Member Awards

Honorary Fellowship

Companion Membership

Institute Medal for Design

Holden Medal

The Institute Medal

The Service Medal

Lemkin Medal

Section Service Award

Young Persons Award

Sustainability Award

Innovation Award

Research Publication Award

Criteria and nominations forms are available to download at www.textileinstitute.org/Medals.asp

The 2010 Awards and Medals were presented by Stephen Rubin CompTI FCFI, Chairman of the Pentland Group during an elegant and inspirational evening in celebration of the Institutes Centenary. Several Awards were established or reintroduced in 2010 to celebrate the Institutes milestone, some of these Awards are continuing into 2011.

The Innovation Award

Marks and Spencer were presented with the Innovation Award for demonstrating outstanding achievement in enhancing international textile interests through commerce, marketing and economic development.

The Sustainability Award

Recycling company I & G Cohen Ltd were presented with the Sustainability Award. The Award is presented to a business or organisation that has had a demonstrable effect on sustainability policy and practice in textiles, clothing and footwear and in one or more of the following sourcing, production, use, recycling and disposal.

The Research Publication Award

The Award, sponsored by Taylor & Francis is given to an individual author or group of authors for the most outstanding paper published in the Journal of The Textile Institute in the year preceding. In 2010 it was given to B Pourdeyhimi, B Karguzel, CR Merritt, T Kang, JM Wilson, HT Nagel and E Grant of North Carolina State University for their paper titled Flexible, durable, printed electrical circuits.

For this Award all authors and groups of authors who have had a paper published in the previous calendar year are automatically submitted for consideration.

The sponsors of this Award, Taylor and Francis, are part of the Taylor & Francis Group (an Informa business), Taylor & Francis has developed a journal publishing imprint that has particular emphasis on the Engineering, Life Science, Physical Sciences and Applied Science subject areas.

The Young Persons Award

This Award is presented to a student enrolled in a postgraduate programme accredited by The Textile Institute to assist attendance at any international conference at which he-she will deliver a paper based on postgraduate research. IN 2010 the Award went to Veronica A Legg who was studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

Members that received medals or awards during 2010 included Mr Aloke Goyal CText FTI, India; Mr Peter W Butcher CText FTI, UK; Dr Joe Cunning, USA; Dr Gerry J Mauretti CText FTI, USA; Professor Richard Murray CText ATI, UK; Professor Xiao-Ming Tao CText FTI, Hong Kong; Professor Frank Ko, Canada; Professor Misako Niwa CText FTI, Japan; Lord Simon Haskel CText ATI Comp TI, UK; Professor John WS Hearle CText FTI (Hon), UK; Professor Ron Postle CText FTI, Australia; Ms Angela Peers CText FTI FCFI, UK; Dr Sailen K Chaudhuri CText FTI, India; Ms Jennifer P Bougourd CText FTI FCFI, UK; Mr MNA Chisti CText ATI, Pakistan; Dr Rohana U Kuruppu CText FTI FCFI, Sri Lanka; and two posthumous awards were given to Mr Donald West CText FTI, UK and Mr Kayser Sung CText FTI FCFI Comp TI, Hong Kong.

The Institute may have celebrated one hundred years of history but is today a vital, enlivened and important organisation providing a truly global network for the fast moving, international textile industry, a Textile Institute spokesperson said yesterday.

With International Headquarters in Manchester, UK, The Textile Institute is a unique organisation in textiles, clothing and footwear. Founded in 1910 the Institute was incorporated in England by a Royal Charter granted in 1925 and is a registered charity. The Institute has individual and corporate members in over 80 countries; membership covers all sectors and all disciplines in textiles, clothing and footwear. Individual members can also gain internationally recognised qualifications including, LTI (Licentiates); CText ATI (Associates) and CText FTI (Fellows).

The Textile Institute has members in all sectors of fibre-based industries worldwide. Special Interest Groups provide a focus for members in different sectors, with many organising conferences, study tours and other events in their subject area.