Having successfully completed the term of John Bissell Chair for research in Textile and Apparel Design, Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Design (NID) is now contemplating setting up a research chair in knitwears.
Several companies including Arvind Ltd. have evinced interest in sponsoring the chair for developing of knitwear value chain in textile. The institute had been waiting for the completion of the John Bissell Chair to start research work in a new area.
"Although we had been thinking of setting up a research chair in knitwear, it never conceptualised. Also, there is a dearth of faculty members specialising in knitwear at the institute. But some time ago, besides other companies, Arvind Ltd. had expressed its desire to sponsor such a chair. So, we have started working in the direction of setting up a research chair in knitwear," said a senior faculty member at NID.
Offering a rationale on a research chair in knitwear, the faculty member added that there has been an increase in demand for knitwear which is used in casual wear and sports wear.
"There is a wider acceptance of knitwear today among young professionals as well as corporates. Currently, knitwear forms 35-40 per cent of total textile production," the faculty member added.
Earlier, the John Bissell Chair for research in the area of Textile and Apparel Design Technology, funded by Ford Foundation, was set up for creating a blend of design and technology with linkages to design traditions of the Indian subcontinent.
Under the research chair, NID had tied up with the Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar (IPR) for using plasma technology for improving the quality of Angora wool, among other things.