TEKSMER Brings 40 R&D Projects to Life

TEKSMER, which conducts research in the technical textiles field, is preparing to introduce functional, sustainable, recyclable fibres it has developed through this process to the sector. Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator Chairman of Aegean Exporters Associations, noted that Turkey earned over USD 2.5 billion from technical textiles exports in 2021. He stated that technical textiles exports from the Aegean Region reached USD 154 million in 2021, and their objective is to increase these figures further. To this end, in 2014 they established the TEKSMER Technical Textiles Research and Application Centre in partnership with the Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association, the Aegean Ready-Made Clothing and Apparel Exporters Association and Dokuz Eylül University, on the Dokuz Eylül University Tınaztepe campus as an Izmir Development Agency-led project.

We launched 40 R&D project studies

Eskinazi noted that following the project's completion in 2017, TEKSMER gained legal status as TEKSMER Education Consulting Research and Laboratory Services Inc. under the partnership of Textile and Apparel Associations within the Aegean Exporters Associations. He said: "TEKSMER conducts R&D and innovation studies within Dokuz Eylül University involving industry, public institutions, universities and other research infrastructure in the same environment. Knowledge and technology transfer is taking place among them. TEKSMER also operates projects as a Technopark Company in DEPARK-Technology Development Zone, an ecosystem where academic, economic and social structures are integrated. TEKSMER's main objective is to increase the competitiveness of the textile sector in the technical textiles field, to enable the development of research projects through university-industry cooperation that responds to the needs and expectations of industry, and to create the necessary laboratory infrastructure and qualified human resources to produce knowledge and know-how. With its infrastructure capacity to test technical textiles in our TÜRAK-accredited test laboratory, it provides test and analysis services for textile-based products used in defence, medical, food and industrial fields, benefiting companies in Izmir and its surroundings. We have conducted numerous tests and analyses on technical textiles and provide technical consulting services in the technical textiles field. Within the scope of technical textile R&D studies, we have also held individual meetings with companies and launched 40 R&D project studies," he said. Emphasizing that TEKSMER's activities have increased awareness among companies in the region regarding product development and R&D project management in the technical textiles field, Eskinazi continued: "TEKSMER's most important feature is that it possesses Turkey's only laboratory-type bicomponent fibre drawing machine, which is one of the synthetic fibre production methods based on the principle of drawing two polymers together. Within the scope of R&D and product development activities, we are conducting technical fibre development studies through bicomponent fibre production and carrying out R&D studies on fibre, the primary raw material of textiles, to develop commercialisable technical textile products that will increase added value in the sector and conduct R&D projects by utilising national and international resources. Through the bicomponent fibre production method, different properties can be imparted to fibres. It is possible to develop special fibres with additives in different cross-sections (different from conventional fibres) depending on the end use. On 29 March 2022, at the Aegean Exporters Associations, we will hold a Launch event themed 'Discover the Power of Technical Textiles. Add Value to Textiles', where TEKSMER will showcase the functional, sustainable, recyclable fibres we have developed. We will share with the sector the outputs of many circular economy-based, TÜBİTAK-supported R&D projects covering many fields ranging from protective textiles to healthcare, automotive, and home products."