TEXTILES.ORG
Lectra, l’École supérieure des technologies industrielles avancées (ESTIA), the Today Tomorrow Textiles Foundation and JPS Conseil have announced the creation of the Biarritz Active Lifestyle Integral Chair, an initiative dedicated to tomorrow’s innovative and sustainable materials.
Over the next three years, the initiative aims to help the fashion industry’s ecosystem—from textile design to clothing sales—transform the challenges of new ways of living and consuming into economic opportunities. The Chair is tasked with exploring how to find and develop sustainable material that will open new markets; find technologies to invent those new materials; and organize factory settings to meet customization demands.
The initiative will focus on the long term, studying user behaviors, materials and components, manufacturing technologies and services, the digitalization of processes, and the distribution of products. To help textile and apparel companies innovate, the Chair is expected to combine knowledge sharing with open innovation. A technical training facility will adapt and pass on material-related know-how.
“The Chair’s philosophy is founded on industrial partnerships across diverse sectors, notably in luxury and lifestyle, as well as partnerships with international academia. The best way to move forward is to always work together,” said Lectra CEO Daniel Harari.
The ESTIA campus (CI Bayonne/Pays Basque) is an ecosystem for innovation where students, teachers and engineers collaborate to develop Industry 4.0.
JPS Conseil is a business consulting company created in 2000.
Lectra provides integrated technology solutions (software, automated cutting equipment, and associated services) specifically designed for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials.
Under the aegis of the France Foundation, the Today Tomorrow Textiles Foundation aims to use the skills acquired in the textile industry to co-build projects for general interest.