1) ENSAIT (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Industries Textiles)
Website: www.ensait.fr
ENSAIT is a French engineer institute who trains 75 % of French textile and garment engineers to post graduate levels. GEMTEX, the research laboratory of ENSAIT, aims to develop research activities for enterprises in their organisational and technological operations (computerized product design and supply chain management), and in the field of textile material innovation (technical textile and textile chemistry). Now the laboratory includes 8 full professors and 26 associate professors, supervising about 40 PhD students. The sustainable development has become one key research area of GEMTEX. 7 teachers of ENSAIT will be involved in this project. Their competences include 1) Optimization of environmental criteria in the textile supply chain, 2) ecodesign using best available technologies 3) personalized textile design with virtual prototyping and sensory techniques, 4) functional and sensory textile quality evaluation and management, 5) REACH management for textile products.
Presentation of Ensait / Gemtex : gemtex.pdf
2) University of Boras
Website: http://www.hb.se
Research and education in the Swedish School of Textiles, a department of the University of Borås, is focused at textile and fashion design, textile technology in the form of dynamic and interactive 'smart' textiles and advanced manufacturing technologies, and textile management, comprising design and fashion management, risk and resilience research and demand- and quality-driven logistics. ‘Textiles and Fashion’ is now a successful and highlighted profile of the University of Borås. The profile includes textile craft and textile expressions as key elements and is described by the focus areas 'Smart Textiles' and 'M3 - fashion, environment and market'. The School of Textiles maintains several international affiliations, in particular partnerships within the AUTEX association, including the joint E-TEAM master's programme in textile engineering, and exchange agreements with textile universities in Europe and worldwide. At present 26 PhD students are associated to the School.
Présentation of the University of Boras : boras_presentation_2013.pdf
3) ”Gheorhe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi
Website: http://www.tuiasi.ro
The Faculty of textiles is organised for three study levels (license, master and doctorate), each for three programs (Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Industrial Management) and seven textile specialisations. The research activity is developed in connection with the industrial requirements (new products, products design and development, new organizational models), according to the European research priorities (functional textiles and connected processes, new textile products for improving human performances, new textile for innovative technical applications, textile processes environmental friendly). 7 teachers will be involved in SMDTex. They prove experience and competences in: 1) Environmental engineering and related processes (mainly in textiles production); 2) Performance measurement, strategic development; 3) Brand management; 4) Functional design of textiles and clothing; 5) Safety, protection and comfort.
Presentation of the Technical University of Iasi : tuiasi_2013.pdf
4) Politecnico di Torino
Website: http://www.polito.it
Research and education in the Politecnico di Torino are carried out in the main site in Torino and in the Biella campus, right in the middle of the largest textile district of Europe. The links between the ongoing research programs and industry are very effective. The three themes in which Politecnico can give a sound contribution in PhD programs are: Theme 1) Risk/safety and resilience in the textile value chain, concerning especially the selection of chemicals used in various steps of textile production; Theme 4) Sustainable and innovative design processes and materials, including process analysis, design and experimentation at pilot scale of novel processes aimed at saving resources, improving effectiveness and increase product quality; Theme 5) Sustainable quality inspection and management in the textile supply chain, aiming at evaluating the clothing comfort through the most relevant physico-chemical properties and by direct experimentation in a high performance microclimatic chamber. Politecnico di Torino is a founding member of AUTEX and active partner in the E-TEAM programme.
Presentation of the Politecnico di Torino : polito_2013.pdf
5) Soochow University
Website: http://www.suda.edu.cn
The School of Textile and clothing engineering is an important component of Soochow University. In Chinese textile industry, it is generally considered as the leading higher education and research institution specialised in textile/garment design and textile chemistry. A national engineering laboratory for modern silk was established in 2009 in this school for carrying out application oriented research activities and providing services to Chinese textile/garment enterprises. Now this school is composed of over 300 post-graduates and 120 teachers and staffs. The main research themes of the school include: 1) optimization of garment design and production, 2) intelligent fashion design support systems, 3) human perception evaluation of textile products, 4) eco-dyeing and water-free dyeing technology, 5) eco-finishing technology.
Presentation of the Soochow University : soochow_2013.ppt
6) AUTEX – Association of Universities for Textiles
Website: http://autex.ugent.be
AUTEX is an association of universities with established international reputations in textile education and research. Founded in 1994, it is currently composed of 32 members from 24 countries. AUTEX aims at facilitating cooperation amongst members in high level textile education and research, encouraging student and staff mobility and networking amongst member universities and invited partners, and organizing annual symposia to disseminate cutting-edge issues to textile professionals and students. AUTEX created and is managing the European Joint Master Programme in Textile Engineering (E-TEAM), organized at different locations, which vary from one edition to another. With its experience gained in the E-Team Joint Master Programme and reputation in textile universities and textile industrial companies, AUTEX will help SMDTex in the following aspects: 1) Promotion of the joint doctorate programme to all recognized textile universities in the world 2) Evaluation of all activities of SMDTex by proposing external academic experts outside the consortium (participation in the Supervision Committee) 3) New funding search for sustainability of the joint doctorate programme.
7) Bureau Veritas CODDE
Website: www.codde.fr
Bureau Veritas CODDE is an eco-environment competence centre helping manufacturers, retailers and service organizations apply sustainable design processes and evaluate the impact of their products and services on environment. It can provide solutions to improve the environmental impact of their products and gain a commercial advantage for their brands by becoming more environmentally friendly. It can also help industrial companies to 1) ensure products fit with consumers environmental expectations, 2) comply with environmental regulatory requirements, 3) realise new innovation in sustainable design. Bureau Veritas will accompany PhD students of SMDTex for realisation of their research projects in the frames of Theme 1 (Risk/safety and resilience in the textile value chain), Theme 2 (new organisation models for sustainable textile processes and supply chain), Theme 4 (sustainable and innovative design processes and materials). Especially, it will 1) provide knowledge on risk analysis and new eco-design methods 2) validation of the results of students in a real scenario. 3) provide teaching for the training seminars and the career planning workshop of 4th year, 4) evaluate activities of the joint doctorate programme by participating in the Supervision Committee.
8) ASTRICO NE
Website: www.astricone.eu
Astrico NE is a powerful industrial group of knitwear manufacturing and trading. Its base is Rifil Company, the most important producer of yarns for knitting in Eastern Europe. This group produces around 3.000.000 pieces per year (items for babies, women, men). The yarns used are the classic ones but also new product range as required on the European market. ASTRICO NE will help PhD students of SMDTex to perform their research projects in a real industrial context. Especially, it will 1) provide knowledge and data on textile and garment products and related manufacturing processes, 2) validate the results of Theme 1 (Risk/safety and resilience in the textile value chain), Theme 2 (new organisation models for sustainable textile processes and supply chain), Theme 4 (sustainable and innovative design processes and materials) in a real scenario, 3) participate in the Supervision Committee and evaluate activities of SMDTex.
9) Hongdou Group CO.LTD.
Website: www.hongdou.com
Houdou Group is one of the key enterprise groups in China and is established on the basis of 10 subsidiary companies, 5 of which are manufacturers and traders related to textiles and apparels. Also, there are dozens contracted companies working with Hongdou Group. Hongdou has established its own supply chain for apparel. The fiber production, yarn spinning, fabric knitting and weaving, dyeing and finishing are accomplished within the group. The annual sales volume of textiles and apparel is more than 28 billion yuans in 2010. More than 20000 employees are working for the company. The finished products of Hongdou are submitted to both national and international markets. Their products are exported to over 20 countries and regions. The sale volume for export to European market reached 70 M Euros in 2010. USA and Japan are also two of the most important international markets of the company. It is critical to improve the management structure and keep sustainable development energy inside Hongdou Group. It will provide a platform (data of products and processes) for the research students and scholars from all of the world to improve the internal structure and criteria system of the company. The research results of SMDTex, especially for Theme 1 (Risk/safety and resilience in the textile value chain), Theme 2 (new organisation models for sustainable textile processes and supply chain), and Theme 3 (Sustainability policies and sustainable consumption around the textile supply chain) will be evaluated and validated after being put into practice at production lines within the company and in contracted companies of the Group. Also, industrial experts of Hongdou will participate in the Supervision Committee and evaluate activities of SMDTex.
10) AB Lindex
Website: www.lindex.se
Lindex is one of the leading fashion chains in Northern Europe. In recent years, Lindex has experienced rapid international expansion and sales development and now has over 400 stores and 6,000 employees in Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Russia, Central Europe, Bosnia Herzegovina and the Middle East. Its business concept is to offer inspiring, affordable fashion to fashion-conscious women. Its range covers several different concepts within ladies’ wear, lingerie, children’s wear and cosmetics. Lindex not only takes responsibility for its products, but through its long-term sustainability work it is also developed towards good working conditions, a sustainable environment, good ethics and human rights. Lindex assumes full responsibility for its products. All of its products must be safe, be of high quality, not contain any dangerous chemicals and be manufactured in accordance with animal rights guidelines. Lindex will provide a practical experience and on-site training for the PhD students of SMDTex, especially for Theme 1 (Risk/safety and resilience in the textile value chain) and Theme 3 (Sustainability policies and sustainable consumption around the textile supply chain). Also, industrial experts of Lindex will participate in the Supervision Committee and evaluate activities of SMDTex.
11) NLY Scandinavia AB
Website: http://nelly.com
The company Nelly.com was established in 2004 in the Swedish city of Boras and operates under the legal name NLY Scandinavia AB. Nelly.com is an online store that specializes in fashion and beauty products, aimed primarily at women and men aged 18 to 35. Nelly.com is one of the largest online fashion stores in Northern Europe. It has more than 600 brands in store and 500,000 loyal customers. Nelly.com will provide a practical platform for the PhD students of SMDTex, especially for Theme 5 (sustainable quality inspection and management in the textile supply chain) and Theme 6 (personalised and virtual reality-assisted textile design). Also, industrial experts of Nelly.com will participate in the Supervision Committee and evaluate activities of SMDTex.
