Session 4: Implementation: How can nanotechnologies help the textile industry and how are they implemented? What are the issues found in the adoption of nanotechnologies?

The European textile industry is constantly facing economic pressures. There is the ever present pressure from local competition. However, as quota-free trade in textiles was instituted at the beginning of this year, the competition from low-cost foreign textiles has made the competitive pressure more acute.

This session will examine the idea of whether the adoption of high-technology leading to more functional textiles and higher-value products will be the answer to this competition, and how can nanotechnologies be effectively adopted by the European textile industry.

9:10 Strategy: How nanotech can help companies re-gain competitiveness in a market in which low labor costs countries produce garments at a fraction of cost. Nanotech as a mean to differentiate and protect our products.

Invited Speaker: Prof. Enrico Beltramini, Palo Alto, USA

9:40 IP: The importance of protecting your property by means of patents. Differences between US and EU patents, what to do to fill up a patent

Invited Speaker (to be confirmed): Prof. Bryan Bockhop, US patent attorney, Bockhop & Associates, LLC, USA.

10:10 R&D: How companies can implement research? What are the key issues? Timing? Expenses? EU funds availability and other.

Invited Speaker (to be confirmed): Prof. George Stylios, TechniTex, Heriot Watt University, UK.

10:40 Coffee Break

11:10 EXECUTIVE PANEL Can nanotechnologies provide the answers to textile industry issues: Capturing the value

In this session, the panelists and the audience will discuss how value is currently being drawn out of nanotechnologies to address the pressures that the European textile industry is facing, with a particular emphasis on the functionality provided by nanotechnologies and the markets they will impact.

12:40 Lunch Break

Session 5: Looking to the future: What are the potential applications for nanotechnologies in the future?

Nanotechnologies are providing real applications today in the form of stain-resistant and wrinkle-resistant pants. But it is perhaps in the near future that some of the greatest strides will be made in using nanotechnologies to launch whole new product lines and create new markets.

This session will look at these future applications, what are the nanotechnologies that will enable them, and how likely these technologies will be adopted by the textile industry.

13:30 Large-area textile-based sensor systems for ambient intelligence applications.

Invited Speaker: Christl Lauterbach, Future-Shape GmbH, Germany.

14:00 Nanotextiles; using Nature's design

Invited Speaker: Veronika Kapsali, Engineering Dept at Bath University, UK

14:30 Coffee Break

15:00 EXECUTIVE PANEL: Industry pressures & technological solutions: What will the textile industry landscape look like in five years?

This panel will bring together representatives from each of the previous sessions in the day to discuss the economic pressures facing the textile industry and where nanotechnologies, and related technologies, will be able to offer relief.

15:50 END OF CONFERENCE