A two-day international knowledge-based textile conference (Know Tex) will commence in the National Textile University Faisalabad (NTUF) here on Tuesday (March 5). University Spokesman Sardar Pervaiz Akhtar said on Monday that this is the third international knowledge-based textile conference which would be organized by the NTUF in collaboration of Grand Challenge Fund “Know Tex” of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan. He said that the conference would play a dynamic role in evolving a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development and increase in textile exports by ensuring value addition in textile products. He said that the conference would also provide a common platform to bring textile scientists, research scholars and industry experts for sharing their views, researches and expertise for modernization and innovation in textile composites, circular textile, functional & smart textile, natural fibers, textile production factors, advanced textiles and its traceability. This conference would also play a key role in introducing value added products in the markets besides helping in achieving long-term growth in textile exports and stabilizing national economy, he added. He said that prominent national and international experts would participate in the conference and share their views and expertise in their respective fields. More than 30 international experts were also invited from the USA, the UK Indonesia, China, Qatar, Spain, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Estonia and Malaysia in addition to the participation by the textile-related institutions and leading industries to make the conference a most prestigious scientific event of the country. He said that the two-day conference would comprise of a workshop on “incorporating circularity into textile value chains”, textile innovation exhibition and award ceremony. He said that the competition would drive innovation in the field of circularity and textile sustainability. More than 250 delegations, 25 universities, 100 industries and 6 textile associations, including APBUMA, APTMA, PRGMEA, PHMA, CLOA and Dyes & Chemicals Association, would participate in the conference in addition to 40 innovation projects. The conference would also include two interesting panel discussions on “Navigating the Global Fashion Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities for Textile Manufacturers” and “Advancement of Pakistan’s Textile Industry through Circular Practices”. Dr Shahid Rasool from Northumbria University UK and Dr Munir Ashraf from NTUF would lead the discussion sessions respectively. The conference was sponsored by leading textile industries of Pakistan. The platinum sponsors were Interloop and US Denim Mills (US Group). The gold sponsors were Yunus Textiles, iTextiles (Pvt) Ltd, Nizam Sons (Pvt), Ltd, Artistic Milliners, Fiber Trace, Alkram Textile Mills and Sorti Denim. Among silver sponsors were Crestex, Shekhani Industries, Sapphire Mills Textiles, Indigo Textiles, Textiles (Pvt) Ltd, Rainbow Inks (Pvt) Ltd, WWF Pakistan, he added.