The textile institute, 100 years servicing textiles

Citation

Stylios, G.K. (2010), "The textile institute, 100 years servicing textiles", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 22 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijcst.2010.05822daa.001

The textile institute, 100 years servicing textiles

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Volume 22, Issue 4

Preparations are at an advanced stage for celebrating the centenary of the Textile Institute, which under the theme Textiles: A Global Vision organizes a world conference in its home of Manchester to take place between the 3 and 4 November 2010.

If one organization can claim developing the textile industry through research, education, networking and promoting the many aspects of textiles by its global members spanning over 90 countries, it is the Textile Institute. Who can dispute the claim that the Textile Institute has worked with the captains of industry, the pillars of academia and has shaped up textile science and engineering? It has provided help to the young through its scholarship schemes; I was one of them back in 1980, helped through a scholarship for an MSc in the Department of Textile Industries at the University of Leeds. I, amongst thousands of others, owe the opportunity for continuing my academic education to them.

The Textile Institute was inaugurated in 1910 in England and its Royal Charter was granted in 1925. As a registered charity it covers all sectors and all disciplines of textiles, clothing and footwear globally and it aims to facilitate learning, to recognise achievement, to reward excellence and to disseminate information.

One of the big achievements of the Textile Institute is its own journal, The Journal of the Textile Institute (The JTI). The JTI as it is known by all of us in the discipline or “the bible” by most of us. Again, if one journal can claim that it has written the developments of an industry through its pages then it is The JTI. The JTI is primarily an academic journal which began in 1910 with Vol. 1, and then in 1921, Vol. 12 was split to two separate publications the proceedings between Vol. 14, 1923 and Vol. 55, 1965 and the transactions between Vol. 14, 1923 and Vol. 57, 1966. In 1967, Vol. 58 was re-amalgamated back into one publication continuing nowadays in both paper and electronic formats and reaching in 2009 Vol. 100.

Another big achievement is its membership and the opportunity for someone to climb up to the worldwide recognised status through educational programs offered internationally; the membership of associate and fellow carry the chartered status CTex; a globally recognized level of knowledge particularly with the industry.

This is too little a contribution for an institute and a journal which is a jewel of achievement and has served us for 100 years, but the least I could do was to say these few words for it and to publicise its conference which can also be found in the institute’s official web site: www.texi.org as follows:

The Centenary Conference of The Textile Institute, ‘Textiles: a Global Vision’, will be the leading ‘must attend’ international conference in 2010, drawing together presentations from industry and education, providing a chance to meet old friends and new as well as a platform for information exchange and networking.The Conference aims to:

• •

  Bring together professionals from all continents to advance knowledge both within business, industrial practise and academic research.

• •

  Provide a networking opportunity to encourage the exchange of ideas and sharing of best practice.

• •

  Acknowledge the ever changing market place and recognise the global range of textile, clothing and footwear activities.

• •

  Recognise excellence and achievement in the operation and products of the textile industries.

• •

  Encourage creative contributions to the advancement of knowledge.

I ask you to join in the conference and the many celebrations that take place over this year and I wish the Textile Institute to continue to serve textiles as it has done, despite some inevitable difficulties over the last few years. Let us celebrate its achievement by cheering for its continuing longevity.

G.K. StyliosEditor-in-Chief