NIFT to set up research incubation centre

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), the premier national level institute of fashion education under the ages of the ministry of textiles, is planning to set up an incubation centre at Delhi to take up various research-based commercial projects.

The institute is also planning to set up a venture finance fund to finance these projects.

"Students at NIFT design various products that are commercially viable, so we are planning to set up an incubation centre of our own, where students can research and develop commercially viable products. We are also in talks with the textile ministry to set up a venture finance fund to finance these projects," said Gauri Kumar, director general, NIFT, on Wednesday.

NIFT, under its research-based industrial projects, has designed Breathers, breathing masks for bikers, which was sponsored by Jhon Fowler India. NIFT has also designed mobile case covers for Reliance Infocom.

"One of our student in Kolkata has designed an apparel with mild-current, which can be used by forest guards or as a protection devise from eve-teasers among others. We are planning to make it commercially viable," said Kumar.

NIFT also participates in projects of various state government and Central government, which include technological and marketing support to the existing product of self help groups in handicrafts clusters being implemented under the 'Swarna Jayanti Swrozgar Yojana, which is a centrally sponsored scheme.

NIFT also helped in implementing the 'Deen Dayal Hathkargha Protsahan Yojana' scheme wherein total 1,000 new ikat designs with colour ways are being provided for the benefit of weavers for better marketability.

"We will try to take up more and more industrial projects, on which our incubatees will work and manufacture it on a commercial scale," said Kumar.

On the sponsorship of the Gujarat government, the Gandhinagar centre of NIFT has recently completed a cluster development project for small scale readymade garment manufacturers of Ahmedabad.

The initiative of NIFT has successfully addressed some problems of the clusters, and has opened new avenues for students through sustained development of craft cluster by integrating it with academic curriculum.

NIFT was involved in the design development and product upgradation project for Eri-Munga Silk product for the government of Arunanchal Pradesh.

The institute has also undertaken fashion-forecasting project for National Centre for Textile Design website, which was sponsored by the office of DC handlooms.