The Technical Textiles Special Interest Group (SIG) of The Textile Institute, Manchester and The Manchester and Cheshire Section of the Textile Institute have announced the speakers for their International Conference on ‘Managing Innovation in Textiles’. The event will be held on Thursday 10 June and Friday 11 June in Manchester, UK. 

The global Textile Industry has in the last few decades seen revolutionary changes in its output, structure, and technology - covering all aspects of Fibres, Yarns, Fabrics, Machinery and manufacturing processing techniques.

Apart from the above major achievements, the industry progressively has seen major developments in the production of Technical & Industrial Textiles covering around 25 different fields of new applications. A huge variety of revolutionary products have been brought into the world market as a result of technological innovations in new fibres, yarns, fabrics, dyeing and finishing and processing methods. Unforeseen a few decades ago, these products have been successfully imagined and developed and now on the whole have brought dramatic positive changes in our environment and life-styles.

The most exciting new markets for Technical and Industrial Textiles from a potential growth/value-added/profitability point of view involve the high technology or high performance applications. The forecast as to what will happen most likely in the technical and industrial textile world during the next decade is one of growth in spite of the current global financial situation.

• How these innovations universally being created?
• How are ideas converted into products?
• Can innovation be managed?
• How do we identify market opportunities?
• Can we learn from recent case studies of successful innovation and product launch?
• How will technology serve the needs of the design and fashion sectors?

To address this need, the Technical Textiles Special Interest Group (SIG) of The Textile Institute, Manchester and The Manchester and Cheshire Section of the Textile Institute have teamed together to organise an International Conference on Managing Innovation in Textiles.

The conference will aim to bring together textile scientists, engineers, fibre-yarn -and fabric mfrs, fashion designers, retailers, and many others engaged and interested in recent innovations and their applications in all branches of Technical & Industrial Textiles.