March, 2023
Mar 6
Mar 14
Mar 20
Impactful Cotton Research
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, March 06, 2023)---Importance of science and technology is gaining mainstream attention.
The ongoing war in Europe and the supply issues related to semiconductor chips have created an awareness among different governments to increase support for R and D.
Today, March 6, when the United Kingdom unveiled its Science and Technology Framework-2030, it was refreshing to interact with a group of 5th grade students at Roscoe Wilson Elementary School, in Lubbock, USA on the research for saving the planet.
Six 5th grade students under the direction of Ms. Keegan Rodriguez are working on a science exhibition project to showcase the negative impacts of plastic pollution. While researching on the subject, our research on cotton as an alternative to absorb toxic oil caught their attention and wanted to interact with me to gain more information.
The young students have prepared important questions on the need for sustainable materials as substitutes for plastic materials to protect the environment. As part of the 20 minutes interaction, it was heartening to note that the questions focused on the motivation of research, commercialization of technology, etc.
Conall Bates, a 5th grade student whose family farms in Hereford, TX asked to explain how cotton is advantageous compared to synthetic materials in absorbing oil. Such questions clearly point to the fact that the students and the community in the High Plains of Texas are well connected with industries such as cotton, oil, and farming.
It is important that research carried out in academia have translational impact and serve the society and the whole world.
Schools such as those in Lubbock Independent School District are doing their best to cultivate interest in S & T in young children, which is the need of the hour. The students are planning to present their study based on the interview and other research in an exhibition to be organized by the school on May 22, 2023.
Bio-based materials that can save lives and protect the environment needs support from government funding agencies in addition to industry support.
Research conducted in our laboratory that is gaining attention among elementary school children and the public is indeed a good and impactful outcome.
Science is well and alive in the United States is the take home message I got.
Technical Textiles for Health and Environment
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech university, USA
(Lubbock, USA, March 14, 2023)---Manufacturing sector is gaining attention worldwide due to the recent economic situation and supply chain issues.
Recently, United States, United Kingdom and Australia formed the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership, which will boost jobs as well S & T partnerships in the pacific region. India’s Air India’s proposed procurement of Boeing and Airbus planes will create many manufacturing and R & D jobs in the United States and France. These are some examples of the revival in manufacturing in developed nations. All these projects involve some form of advanced textiles such as soft composites, PPEs, etc.
Technical textiles sector globally is a growth sector with an annual growth rate of above 5 percent. On February 26, 2023, I had an opportunity to present the usefulness of advanced textiles in enhancing human lives, saving the environment, and creating jobs to a global audience at the recently concluded World Textile Conference-3 organized by the world’s largest professional association in the field of textiles, Textile Association (India) [TAI].
The talk featured the demonstration of a cotton-based oil absorbent and emphasized the importance of developing value-added textiles to enhance human life and protect the environment. I pitched the concept developed by U.S. Department of Defense that involves 4S for the growth of the industry: Sensing; Shaping; Sustaining and Shielding (Growing). The sector can sense the need of technologies and products, map the requirements, build, and grow. There is a need to involve more sustainable products and processes to combat global warming.
There is more work to do in the technical textiles sector to develop technologies and products in a cost-effective way to include sustainable aspects. Developing economies need marketing help in this sector.
In the audience were Tony Fragnito, President of USA-based INDA, Dr. Bryan Haynes, Chairman of the Board of INDA-USA. Dr. P R. Roy, former Group CEO of Arvind Group, Dr. Jaywant Irkhede, Department of Trade and Industry, Republic of South Africa, the office bearers of Textile Association (India) and many other participants representing all walks of the textile industry from fiber to fashion.
The conference attracted over 800 participants who were from India, USA, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Uganda.
The talk can be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ulh-gvUGOQ
Sustainable Textiles Sector Needs Skill Enhancement
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, March 20, 2023)--Textile sector is taking sustainability seriously towards its growth.
On March 17, 2023 at wee hours (2 AM USA-CST), I delivered remarks virtually in the invited panel discussion on the “Skilled Workforce for Sustainable Growth,” organized as part of 3rd Global Textile Conclave conducted by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) in Jaipur, India.
I articulated the need for 3Ps for sustainable growth and skill development. The 3Ps are: 1) People; 2) Planning and 3) Progress. The industry must adopt 4S towards training the next-generation workforce. The 4s are: 1) Sensing the need of the industry; 2) Shaping the field; 2) Shielding and building resources and 4) Sustaining the sector and then growing. As India expects to have a textile market size of US$350 billion in the next few years, training skilled workforce is critically important.
The talk on 3Ps and 4S is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ze-zxTQ7VY
Emphasizing the need for nationally recognized training modules, the training program developed by India’s Textile Sector Skill Council (TSC) will be more valuable to SMEs who may not have inhouse training centers, stated Dr. J. V. Rao, Advisor for the Council.
Private sector needs to take the lead in such skill development initiatives with support from the government. In United States, States have programs such as the Skill Development Fund of Texas that enable industry to take a lead in creating public-private partnerships to tackle skill gaps faced by the industry.
In addition to technical skill gaps, industry and skill councils need to focus on soft skills enhancement, safety, and ethics training. Ms. Bia Cunha of the International Labor Organization emphasized the importance of linkages with the private sector and the need to enhance digital skills in the industry.
Skill councils also have to focus on outreach and awareness activities on critical issues facing the textile value chain such as plastic contamination in cotton, enhancing the yield and quality of cotton in countries like India. Enhancing awareness also involves working with stakeholders to train the workforce in the industry to be aware of pressing issues and finding solutions to problems such as contamination in farms and cotton ginning industry.
“India’s Textile Sector Skill Council is developing standardized educational modules which are recognized by the industry,” stated Dr. Swapna Mishra, Chief Operating Officer of the Council. Since its inception in 2014, over 350,000 people have gone through various training programs, which are well received by the industry, added Dr. Mishra.
Skill enhancement, awareness and outreach initiatives are needed globally for the sustainability side of the fiber-fashion value chain. The industry must take lead in this initiative with help from workforce development organizations to prepare the workforce for the advanced and sustainable textiles sector.
February, 2023
February 11
February 28
International Collaborative Face Mask Research Receives Best Paper Award
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, February 11, 2023)---International collaborations in science particularly in areas that have global impact are gaining attention.
In the recent COVID-19 pandemic situation, personnel protective equipment like surgical gowns, face masks, hospital drapes played important roles in offering necessary and added protection to save lives.
Nonwovens and Advanced Materials laboratory at Lubbock-based Texas Tech University (TTU) has stepped in during the need of the hour and has undertaken projects to highlight the usefulness of face masks in controlling the pandemic. A new concept, ”FISOR,” evolved out of the latest research.
Chennai, India-based Asthagiri Herbal Research Foundation collaborated with the Nonwovens Laboratory at TTU to highlight the accumulation of microbes on face masks and the need to focus more on hygiene. This collaborative paper was published in the flagship peer-reviewed journal, “TAPPI Journal,” published by the Technical Association of Pulp and paper Industry in January 2022.
On February 10, 2023, the paper “Microbial load and proliferation associated with various face mask types and sources during the COVID-19 pandemic," has been recognized as the co-recipient of Best Paper Award for 2022 published in TAPPI Journal. In addition, this work is also recognized as the recipient of half of Honghi Tran prize.
The paper that appeared as Cover Page article in TAPPI Journal can be accessed at:
https://imisrise.tappi.org/TAPPI/Products/22/JAN/22JAN23.aspx
While the work focuses on the importance of face masks, the journal notifies that this is the first ever paper in the nonwovens/textiles field to receive the best paper recognition—credible recognition for the growing area of nonwovens.
The authors of this paper are Narasimhan Srinivasan, Meenakshi Balakrishnan, James Ayodeji and Seshadri Ramkumar.
Dr. Narasimhan Srinivasan, Chairman of the Asthagiri Herbal Research Foundation has been a colleague of Nobel laureate Herbert Brown and has undertaken research at Purdue University on hydroboration developing chemical reagents.
According to Dr. Narasimhan, “international collaboration provides resources that are complimentary including research expertise to solve common and global problems.”
New areas such as biobased processes and products should provide new avenues for research in textiles and materials science stated Dr. Narasimhan. His research organization is now working on herbal blends that promote immunity, antimicrobial filters, drugs for novel anticancer leads.
Nonwoven and advanced textiles sector can gain much by multidisciplinary approaches involving organic chemistry, natural products chemistry leading to translational research.
Such collaborations are needed as the industry is focusing its attention on sustainability, climate change, etc.
Textile Symphony in Ahmedabad-India
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, February 28, 2023)---Global textile industry stakeholders gathered over the weekend in Ahmedabad for a technology symphony to deliberate on the way forward the sector.
Over 800 delegates representing different counties like India, United States, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Uganda participated in the World Textile Conference-3, organized by Textile Association (India) [TAI], that focused on the entire textile value chain from cotton to industrial textiles to marketing. “We have organized this major event to be of service to the global textile sector in this critical time period,” stated Mahendrabhai Patel, Honorary Secretary of TAI.
The conference received the highest attention and was inaugurated by Honorable Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of the State of Gujarat in the presence of Honorable Mrs. Darshana Jardosh, Union Minister of State for Textiles & Railways, India. Tony Fragnito, President of the USA-based Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) attended the event all the way from Cary, USA.
Photo Caption: Honorable Chief Minister of Gujarat Inaugurating the Event by Lighting the Lamp
As is the case with Beethoven’s 5th Symphony set on four movements with vibrancy, tempo and melody, the conference focused on four notes: 1) Economy and textile sector; 2) Growth and fiber balance (Natural vs. Synthetics); 3) Sustainability and Innovation and 4) Training Next Generation and Research.
“Growth in manufacturing is happening in the APAC region and India is important in this equation,” stated Bryan Haynes, Technical Director Global Nonwovens of Kimberly-Clark, who traveled all the way from the United States for this conference.
“Post COVID-19 era is experiencing the shift in global growth equation, supply chain issues and skilled labor issues. Hence there is a need to re-strategize,” stated Dr. P. R. Roy, Ex-CEO of Arvind Group and the Founder of Ahmedabad-based Diagonal Consulting.
Leaders from leading fiber companies such as Indorama and Reliance discussed the availability of fibers for the Indian industry which will be requiring about 20 million tons in the next 3-4 years. Effective utilization of resources like fibers is critical for the sector. Cotton Council International’s presentation focused on the services provided to better utilize United States’ cotton.
The need to collaborate more with institutes of research and higher learning has become important to gear-up innovation. “We focused on obtaining more industry participation in this event. 40 different companies ranging from fiber to hygiene products participated in this conference,” stated Tulsibhai Patel, Vice President of TAI.
Major themes that occupied most discussions revolved around fiber needs, sustainability, plastic issues, technical textiles, and modernization. “India needs to grow big in technical textiles and plan strategies for Indian companies to penetrate into this burgeoning sector,” opined Nirav Shah, Co-founder of Diagonal Consulting.
“Textile sector needs to focus now on modernization such as improving the quality of cotton, aiming at contamination free fibers instead of expansion,” stated Velmurugan Shanmugam, General Manager of Aruppukkottai-based Jayalakshmi Textiles.
An important theme that came again and again like repeating motifs in a concert was the need for skilled next-generation workforce and creating more awareness on emerging technologies.
“Indian textile sector needs more information on practical knowledge and project details on technical textiles,” stated Gandhiraj Krishnasamy, Honorary Secretary of the South India Unit of TAI.
As is the case with international symphony events, the textile conference was conducted in a massive auditorium Dinesh Hall in Ahmedabad, that can seat over 800 people with a world class audio set-up such as the Musikverein in Austria, Vienna.
January, 2022
Jan 30
Sustainability and Innovations to Shine in the World Textile Conference
By: Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
(Lubbock, USA, January 30, 2023)--- With uncertainty lingering in the globe in terms of political and economic instability in certain regions, there is a need for revival of the manufacturing sector.
Textile manufacturing has received its due spotlight in the COVID-19 times with the development of different PPE materials that can save lives. Textile sector can contribute to the growth of global economy and enable job creation by focusing on diversification, innovations in developing advanced and sustainable products.
A galaxy of international speakers will gather for two days in Ahmedabad during February 25 and 26, 2023 at the World Textile Conference-3 (www.textileassociationindia.org\wtc) organized by world’s largest textile related professional organization, Textile Association (India) [TAI].
Keynote on the future of the textiles sector will be presented by Punit Lalbhai, Executive Director of Arvind Industry, a leading textile conglomerate based in Ahmedabad, India.
“With manufacturing sector getting revival in developing nations, countries like India are focusing on advanced textiles. The conference will highlight the need for investments and R and D in value-added textiles. Leading industries like Arvind have diversified into value-added textiles,” stated Mahendrabhai Patel, Hon. Secretary of TAI.
Market outlook and future of nonwovens, including how regulations and innovations are shaping the nonwovens sector will be highlighted by Tony Fragnito, President of USA-based Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA). Innovation pathways in advanced textiles sector will be presented by Bryan Haynes, Senior Technical Director of Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
Sustainability offers a lot of opportunities as well as challenges for the industry. Professor Seeram Ramakrishna of National University of Singapore will highlight how the industry could adopt circular approaches towards conserving resources and be successful. His talk is highlighting how the textiles have become a leading per capita generator of wastes, which necessitates the need for more commercially viable R & D in this field.
Talks on Cotton Vs. MMF, circularity in the sector, cotton seed developments will be addressed by leading industries such as Reliance, Nuziveedu Seeds, Ltd.
How the textile sector can diversity in the challenging times will be the underlying theme of the global event. Arunkrishna Srinivasan, Director at Jayalakshmi Textiles, India will present how challenges can be met and overcome based on practical approaches such adequate stock maintenance, quality control and new product development.
India will be hosting two major advanced textiles events during this February 22 to 26, with Technotex event sponsored by Government of India and the World Textile Conference organized by the Textile Association (India).
These events are expected to create much needed opportunities and boost confidence in investments in the textile and allied sectors.
Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D. • Texas Tech University • Department of Environmental Toxicology
Box 41163 • Lubbock, TX 79409-1163 • 806.885.4567 • s.ramkumar@ttu.edu