In addition to signing four memorandums of understanding with industry organisations to promote innovation in the field, Kumaraguru College of Technology has launched its Kumaraguru Centre for Research in Technical Textiles.
High-value products that support waste reduction, the circular economy, and green manufacturing are the goal of the Memorandums of Understanding with the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA), the Textile Association of India (TAI), Tamil Nadu Coir Business Development Corporation (TANCOIR), and the OETI-Institute for Ecology, Technology, and Innovation.
K.S. Sundararaman, Chairman-SIMA (Southern India Mills’ Association) and Managing Director, Shiva Texyarn Limited, spoke at the first session of the Industry Conclave on Technology-Integrated Textiles and Fashion, which was organised by KCT’s Department of Textile Technology and Fashion Technology. He stated that while India’s traditional textile industry has prospered on currency depreciation rather than value addition, technical textiles that address global challenges, such as high-strength fibres used in aerospace and defence, and breathable waterproof fabrics in raincoats, offer a pathway to sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
In order to be relevant in a changing global environment, the Textile Technology Department must be reinvented, according to Shankar Vanavarayar, president of Kumaraguru Institutions.
Technical textiles are one of the most dynamic industries in the nation, with an amazing 8–12% annual growth rate, in contrast to conventional textiles, according to Avinash Mishra, Chairman of the ITTA and CEO of Advanced Material Solutions Koshala Profile Private Limited. He claimed that technical textiles, which have 13 different verticals, serve sectors including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and geotechnology.
To encourage skill development and innovation in the industry, SIMA Secretary General K. Selvaraju proposed the establishment of a National Textile Profession Competency Fund.
