Technical Textiles Research Centre

The Technical Textiles Research Centre at the University of Huddersfield aims to re-establish the town and region as a world leader in textiles by harnessing the newest technology and manufacturing techniques. The centre has received considerable interest from UK textile manufacturers from a wide array of applications, as well as overseas commercial and academic organisations. The focus is on high-performance technical textiles that are bespoke and of high quality. Huddersfield’s heritage as a major centre for the chemical industry is another catalyst for the research centre. The centre brings together expertise in disparate fields of science, including technical textiles, engineering, digital technology, textile processing, cellulose science, medical textiles (implantable, non-implantable, healthcare environment materials), fibre and polymer chemistry, pharmacology, surface functionalisation & material science. This group has unique expertise in chemistry related to technical textiles. Moreover, a multi-disciplinary team of University of Huddersfield’s academics, researchers and students in fields that include chemistry and engineering as well as textiles are part of this centre to foster real transdisciplinary research.

Technical textiles industry is flourishing and are used in a wide range of consumer & industrial products with diverse properties, including absorbent hygiene products, agriculture/horticulture, apparel, composites, construction, electronics, filtration, furnishings, insulation, medical, personal protection, structural engineering, & wipes. A key objective of the research centre will be to address a number of serious global challenges, including dealing with the quality of life of an ageing population, which is one of the four grand challenges announced by the UK Industry Strategy. A desire of our centre to influence the replacement of petrochemical-derived fibres with more sustainable, renewable alternatives is in direct synergy with the Global Challenges Research Fund.

The centre takes a holistic approach to tackling these challenges, which is enabled by the diverse nature of the academics involved.