KINGSTON, R.I. – April 15, 2024 – The University of Rhode Island will host its first “Future Textiles Forum” on Monday, April 22, with the participation of URI students and faculty from across the University, from diverse programs — textiles and engineering — as well as members of the Rhode Island Textile Innovation Network (RITIN) and other textile industry partners, and representatives from U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s office.

The 2024 Future Textiles Forum will take place April 22, from 9 to 10:45 a.m. in 401 Lippitt Hall, Kingston, as part of Earth Day at URI.

A panel of URI faculty members, all deeply involved in textile research, will offer insights into their work and the implications for future production and capabilities in Rhode Island. They will be joined by Rob Torgerson of Kestrel Innovative Fabrics of Narragansett, Jim Owens from Nautilus Defense in Pawtucket and Michael Woody, chairman of the state’s Textile Innovation Network and chief executive officer of Trans-Tex LLC in Cranston.

Student research teams will also present “lighting rounds” of their investigations into circular economies of textiles and other products.

In addition, URI will present and inaugurate the Rhode Island Future Textile Council at the forum. This council will meet at URI in the fall and the spring to discuss current needs and trends, and consider direction for curriculum, research, grant-writing and further collaboration in order to support and build Rhode Island’s textile industry for future generations.

This event will also feature the work of honors students from HPR 412 Circular Economies, with support by a research team from the University’s HPR 124 Welcome to Planet Honors class.

To join the forum, register here. To learn more about the work of the R.I. Future Textile Council, contact coordinator Karl Aspelund, associate professor of textiles, fashion merchandising and design, at aspelund@uri.edu.