From October 17 to 19, 2024, the city of Koprivshtitsa hosted the XXVI National Textile Conference with international participation, dedicated to the theme “Traditions and Innovations in Textiles and Garment”. In the “Living Museum” Training Unit, the forum brought together experts and scientists from Bulgaria and abroad, including representatives of higher education institutions from France, Serbia, Turkey, Tunisia, the United States, Germany and Belgium.
The conference, which is held annually, is organized by the Scientific Engineering Union of Textiles, Garment and Leathers, with the cooperation of the Departments of Textiles and Design from higher education institutions in Bulgaria and with the leading role of the Defense Institute “Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov” – Sofia.
More than 70 students, doctoral students, specialists, lecturers, teachers and scientists from higher schools at home and abroad, from vocational high schools in design, textiles and garment participated in the scientific forum, with direct personal presence.
The most representative of the university units were the teams of the “Textiles, Leather and Fuels” department of the UCTM – Sofia, headed by Prof. Desislava Grabcheva; at the Department of “Mechanical Engineering and Technologies” headed by Prof. Snezhina Andonova and the Department of “Fine Art” headed by Assoc. Prof. Diana Zaharieva from SWU Neophyt Rilski – Blagoevgrad; of the Defense Institute “prof. Tsvetan Lazarov” – Sofia with director Col. Assoc. Prof. DSc Borislav Genov and from the Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers at the Institute of BAS – Sofia with lead researcher Assoc. Professor Maria Spasova.
The invited foreign speakers represented renowned higher schools such as: the University of Haute-Alsace in Mulhouse, France; ENIM in Monastir, Tunisia; Istanbul University of Technology, Turkey; Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Vietnam, University of St. St. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia; Technical University of Dresden, Germany; University of Nis, Serbia; Drexel University in Philadelphia, USA and the School of Artistic Weaving in Pen d’Agen, France.
The significance of this traditional scientific forum for all specialists in the field of design, textiles and clothing in our country is also due to the collective support of large textile enterprises such as “E. Miroglio EAD – Sliven, Pirintex EOOD – Gotse Delchev, Lemprier Wool EOOD – Sliven, Picanol n.v. – Belgium, as well as the authentic revival environment created by the hosts.
The work of the conference began with a review of the XV National Youth Competition “Best educational development in the field of textiles and garment” and continued with a round table on the topic “Staffing of the textile profession”.
The event opened with an impressive fashion show held on the summer stage in the courtyard of the old school “St. St. Cyril and Methodius”. The show featured unique designs and fashion looks based on folk motifs and traditional fabrics. The participants in the review were students from higher education institutions majoring in “Fashion and Design”, “Clothing and Textile Technologies”, as well as students from vocational high schools in textiles from all over the country: PGD “Princess Maria Louisa” and PGD “Elena Vazova” from Sofia; Secondary school “M. Draginov” from the village of Draginovo, Velingrad municipality.
The conference was officially opened by Assoc. Prof. Ivelin Rahnev, who emphasized the importance of the forum for the development of the textile industry. On behalf of the Municipality of Koprivshtitsa, the participants were also welcomed by the secretary of the municipality, who expressed gratitude for choosing the city as the host of this prestigious event. Associate Professor Petya Nedyalkova from the Institute of Defense “prof. Tsvetan Lazarov” welcomed the conference participants.
Among the official guests of the conference were Mrs. Fani Todorova from the Ministry of Education and Science, Assoc. Professor Ivaylo Stefanov from the Ministry of Economy and Assoc. Professor Kremena Dedelyanova, President of the Federation of Scientific Engineering Unions in Bulgaria. The guests delivered congratulatory addresses to the participants and expressed their support for the forum.
One of the main topics of the conference was the discussion of the problems in professional education and staffing of the textile industry. During the round table, Mr. Bertram Rollmann, manager of Pirin TEX EOOD from Gotse Delchev, made a thorough analysis of the challenges related to securing young and qualified personnel in production. Attention was also paid to the digitization process in the sector, which is of key importance for its future development.
Over 38 papers related to new fibrous raw materials (nanotechnologies in textiles) were presented in the scientific sessions; antimicrobial textiles and other innovative technologies in textile and sewing production; contemporary textile art, fashion, composition; management, marketing and sustainable development in modern sewing and textile production, as well as current methods and forms of training in the field of textiles and clothing.
The 26th NTK’2024 was held with the support of the “Scientific Research” Fund under a project from the program for International Scientific Forums under Contract KP-06-MNF/24 of 2024.
Sofia, October 21st 2024