Knowledge grows best when it is shared—and A&E Guetermann, a leading sewing thread manufacturer, is turning this belief into action by actively engaging with India’s next generation of fashion and footwear professionals.
Over the past few months, a team led by Sumesh Minhas, Manager – India | Global Retail Solutions and Brand Technical Support visited 12 campuses of the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) across India, including Noida, Fursatganj, Chandigarh, Ankleshwar, Guna, Chennai, Patna, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Rohtak, Chhindwara and Jodhpur.
The team also interacted with students at JD Birla Institute, Kolkata, which offers programs in Footwear, Fashion and Retail Management under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry— training future professionals for India’s growing lifestyle sector.
Small Component, Big Impact
The objective was simple yet powerful: to demonstrate how something as small as a thread can have a profound impact on quality, performance, durability and sustainability across apparel, footwear and industrial textiles.
These were not conventional classroom lectures. Students participated in hands-on sessions, working directly with A&E Guetermann’s diverse portfolio of sewing threads—ranging from industrial-grade threads for footwear and leather, to high-performance threads for technical textiles and fine threads for fashion applications.
Through live demonstrations, students learned how thread strength, flexibility, finish and construction influence the final product. They explored specialty threads such as Anebraid, Anefil Nylon, Anefil Poly, Anesafe, Zwibond, Tera along with industrial solutions like Mara, Ultimate, Perma Core, Aneflex, Anesoft, BestStretch, Wild Cat, Princess HS, Piuma, Skala – all engineered to meet global standards of durability and performance for specific applications.
| Creativity and design thinking amongst students are encouraging. The industry looks for professionals who can design with an awareness of process limitations and performance expectations. Sewing threads play a critical role in balancing aesthetics with functional strength and consistency. A&E Guetermann can support this learning through application-led training, technical workshops and collaborative projects with institutes like FDDI. This enables students to develop a more holistic, production-oriented mindset. Sanjeev Narula, Managing Director |
Threading Sustainability into Design
A key focus of the sessions was sustainability. Students gained insights into how thoughtful thread selection can reduce waste, improve product lifespan and enhance manufacturing efficiency. Discussions covered AZO-free cotton, biodegradable materials, sustainable product ranges, Higg Index – FEM & FSLM and advanced technical threads tailored for footwear, leather, industrial textiles and fashion.
By connecting material science with real-world outcomes, the sessions highlighted how responsible choices at the design stage can significantly reduce environmental impact.
Bridging Academia and Industry
The initiative strongly emphasised the need for collaboration between industry and academia. Students saw first-hand how practical exposure bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world manufacturing requirements.
The interactions also opened conversations around career opportunities in product development, sustainability, textile technology, industrial design and innovation-led manufacturing.
Students were encouraged to think beyond aesthetics to design with purpose, performance and longevity in mind. They developed a renewed understanding that, although thread represents a small component of the overall base cost of the garment/ footwear, it plays an important role in holding the seam and is responsible for seam performance and appearance.
| Students exhibit strong foundations in design and materials. Concepts such as sewing thread selection, seam strength, stitch formation, abrasion resistance and thread needle fabric interaction are not experienced sufficiently during the academia course. At A&E Guetermann, we believe this gap can be bridged through hands-on exposure to thread applications and live manufacturing environment at our state-of- the-art A&E Guetermann Technical Centre. Rajeev Pradhan, Director – Sales and Marketing |
A Step Towards a Stronger Future Workforce
India continues to face challenges due to low spending on research and weak industry – academia linkages, limiting progress beyond traditional IT-driven growth. Initiatives like these demonstrate how stronger collaboration can help close skill gaps, align education with industry needs, foster innovation and prepare a future-ready workforce.
By investing in knowledge where it matters most—young minds— A&E Guetermann is not just manufacturing threads, but weaving the foundation for fashion, footwear and textile leaders of tomorrow.
