Outreach to the entire spectrum of the fiber to fashion supply chain and advanced textiles sector is essential.
This month marks a milestone in the publication of the outreach newsletter TexSnips from the Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech University. I started writing the TexSnips column just as a hobby to put thoughts to pen in the research areas I work. “Why don’t I provide visibility on what others in the field are doing and write snippets on interesting happenings in the field so that global readers would benefit?” I asked myself. The answer to this thought resulted in the arrival of TexSnips.
In September 2010, the TexSnips newsletter began. Today, it has about 3,500 subscribers located around the world – and still growing.
TexSnips is undertaken as a service to the textiles and materials fraternity. Articles are archived online and can be accessed at this link.
The need to connect students, researchers, and industry people in the field of fiber to fashion, advanced materials, and even broader fields arose after the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s Plenary meeting in Lubbock in September 2010. While in Lubbock, industry veterans from India such as Suresh Kotak, Dhiren Sheth, and others visited my laboratory which is 10 miles away from the main campus. A thought to inform readers in India and elsewhere on timely information on cotton and textile matters – all from Lubbock, the epicenter of cotton production – sparked the initiation of TexSnips.
Over the past 12 years, we have reported on the cotton scenario, views of Nobel laureate and colleagues such as Dr. Srinivasan Narasimhan of Asthagiri Herbal Foundation on concepts such as functional finishes, the importance of fiber quality, and timely developments and advancements in textiles.
United States cotton industry leaders such as Dr. Kater Hake of Cotton Incorporated and leaders of Lubbock-based Plains Cotton Growers have presented their views on different cotton situations. Indian textile industry people representing the ginning sector, spinning such as Jayalakshmi Textiles, and machinery such as Lakshmi Card Clothing have opined on matters of importance.
The goal of this newsletter is to connect the global audience in fiber to advanced textile sectors as a way of advancing the industry and knowledge base. Over the years, the publication has attracted students from India, Bangladesh, and other countries, plus leaders of multinational corporations representing cotton fiber, nonwovens, and advanced textiles.
To join the TexSnips distribution list, contact the publisher Seshadri Ramkumar (s.ramkumar@ttu.edu). There is no charge for subscriptions.