Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Information: Work apace on CoE for Sportech

Setting up of Centre of Excellence in Sportech at Wool Research Association, Thane Textiles inherently can pose immense versatility and are capable of shaping into various functional products for varied uses – from packaging material to high-end uses like defence, space, aviation, etc. These phenomena have led to a new class of textile products, viz, technical textiles.

Technical textiles on its own merit have an important place in material science along with micro-electronics and biotechnology, which will shape the developments in this century. CAGR of technical textiles in the west is 2.4%, whereas it is 6.5% in India and China. Considering the significance of knowledge based emerging technology of technical textiles, the Ministry of Textiles, formed a Technology Mission in Technical Textiles to set up Centres of Excellence in 8 sectors of technical textiles and, after scrutiny and evaluation by Project Approval Committee chaired by Secretary (Textiles), have designated earlier 7 Centres of Excellence in various sectors of technical textiles during last few years.

In the month of February 2012, request for Proposal (RFP) for Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Sportech was invited by the Textile Commissioner on behalf of the Government of India. Wool Research Association (WRA) participated in the bid as the Lead Partner of a Consortium formed with Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Mumbai and Kusumgar Corporates, a leading technical textile manufacturer, as members. Besides, Raymonds Ltd, Grentex & Co Pvt Ltd, Banswara Syntex and Shree Ram Textile Mills extended their support to WRA for setting up the CoE in Sportech. After evaluation, the Project Approval Committee (PAC) approved the proposal and subsequently WRA was designated last month as Centre of Excellence in Sportech.

Sportech sector alongwith mobil-tech and indutech sectors of technical textiles constitute 55 - 57% of total technical textiles on a global basis. Today's sportsman requires special sports clothing to enhance his comfort, protection and performance to supercede his competitors. Broadly, there are three categories of sportech products, viz, sportwear, sports goods and sports accessories. In India there are at least 12 clusters of sportech manufacturers and more than a dozen sports bodies representing the users of sportech.

Wool Research Association (WRA) is a textile research association established in 1963 by the woollen & worsted industry. Since last two decades, it had modestly engaged itself in the development of technical textiles. It had undertaken a few sponsored projects relating to Sportech, Indutech, Mobiltech, etc.

The Centre of Excellence in Sportech will have following infrastructure facilities: Modern Accredited Testing Laboratory; Prototype Development plant and machinery; Incubation Centre; Resource Centre with IT infrastructure; Training facility for HRD in Technical Textiles; Formation of standards, specifications, norms; Sample Bank; Seminar, Workshops, FGD, etc.

The Office of the Textile Commissioner will provide a fund support of Rs 24.50 crore for the project of CoE in Sportech, which includes a recurring expenditure of Rs 3 crore for appointment of consultants under this project. Steering Committee for Growth and Development of Technical Textiles (SCGDTT) constituted under the chairmanship of Textile Commissioner will monitor, review and co-ordinate the activities of the CoE.

Reference : http://www.indiantextilejournal.com/articles/FAdetails.asp?id=4639