The benefit of textile design research to the textile designer.

If Textile Designers do not embark on and utilise textile research we will be left in a ‘sole less’ vacuum. The following article aims to show the benefit of textile design research to the textile designer. Textile design is increasingly complex, and influenced by a number of factors such as ethical textiles, sustainability, fast versus slow fashion, new digital technology and science. It is therefore necessary for increased research by the textile designer into these areas in order to understand and gain knowledge that can be incorporated into the vast textile industry so that we produce the most relevant cloth and fabrics, that satisfy both consumer and ethical requirements. “Work on good prose has three steps: a musical stage when its composed, an architectonic stage when its built and textile stage when its woven” Walter Benjamin 1892-1940. [1

ENMat international projects: FP7 NMP coordination action: 2BFUNTEX

Boosting collaboration between research centres and industry to enhance rapid industrial uptake of innovative functional textile structures and textile-related materials in a mondial market 2BFUNTEX will exploit the untapped potential in functional textile structures and textile related materials. It will bring together all innovation actors in the field fostering a multidisciplinary approach between universities, research institutes, SMEs and sector associations. The 2BFUNTEX team will identify technological gaps and eliminate barriers resulting in a faster industrial uptake of added value functional materials with new functionalities and improved performance and resulting in creation of new business worldwide. Technological needs will be mapped, new joint international research disciplines will be identified and multidisciplinary lab teams will be created. International cooperation will be favoured to exploit the worldwide market expansion potential. Industry will be involved at all stages of the process. The inventory will enlarge the team of important textile universities and renowned materials research centres and will identify new collaborations. Synergy will be reinforced and created which will enable to identify and develop new functional materials. Training materials regarding functional materials for research and industrial purposes will be developed and implemented to allow a common language regarding functional textile structures and text ile related materials, and will increase the number of well-trained people in this field. Further, the 2BFUNTEX partners will organise and participate in conferences, workshops and brokerage events. Along with a website with an extensive database comprising all information gained throughout the project, collaboration will be boosted and rapid industrial uptake catalysed and enhanced. The project duration will be 4 years and the consortium includes 26 partners from 16 countries. Start date : 01/01/2012 More information: Ir. Els Van der Burght Department of Textiles/Ghent University [email protected] [email protected] URL: http://www.2bfuntex.e