3D Weaving Innovation Centre
Our lab-scale fibre-to-yarn conversion equipment places us at the forefront of UK yarn spinning and engineering. At the heart of our offering is the 3D Weaving Innovation Centre, which provides state-of-the-art design, training and manufacturing solutions for apparel and technical textiles. Additionally, our Shima knitting technologies enable the creation of sophisticated knitting structures and seamless garments.
- ARM Touch 60 Handloom – 24-shaft handlooms with integrated CAD capabilities for precise design execution.
- Laboratory Carding Machine – Processes staple fibres into webs and slivers for further manufacturing.
- Laboratory Drawing/Roving Machine – Converts carded sliver into a drawn sliver, then into roving for spinning.
- Laboratory Ring Spinning Machine – Six-spindle system capable of creating blended yarns with customisable twist parameters.
- Mageba Multi-Shuttle Weaving Machine with Staubli UNIVAL 100 Jacquard Harness – Innovative 2D-to-3D preforms seamlessly woven using state-of-the-art 3D composite weaving software from EAT.
- Optima 3D Loom – Specialised in weaving seamless tubular fabrics and other intricate structures.
- Shima Seiki Knitting Machines – Flatbed knitting machines for producing innovative, high-performance fabrics.
- Shima Seiki Mach 2S Knitting Machine – Manufactures seamless whole garments with integrated features such as pockets and buttonholes.
- TC2: Thread Controller Digital-Manual Jacquard – Hand-operated electronic weaving machine with modular harness configuration for crafting complex technical forms.
Nonwovens Lab
The Nonwovens Lab supports the development and analysis of nonwoven materials for industries ranging from healthcare to automotive. Our advanced machinery produces micro-and nanofiber webs, high-loft insulations, and precision coatings.
- Aerospinner – Produces micro- to nanofiber webs using solution blowing or electrospinning for applications in filtration and healthcare.
- Airlaying Machine – Creates high-loft fibre webs used in insulation and interior applications.
- Biax Meltblowing Line – Produces nonwoven webs for filter media, healthcare, and insulation.
- El Marco Electrospinner – Generates nanofiber mats suitable for filtration and healthcare materials.
- Embossing Calender – Applies patterns to fabrics using heat and pressure, ideal for point bonding.
- Fiberio Centrifugal Force Spinner – Produces nanofiber webs through melt or solution spinning for filtration and absorbents.
- Krüss Force Tensiometer – Measures fibre wettability, contact angle, and surface energy.
- Laroche Cadette Shredder – Shreds textiles into fibre, promoting recycling and waste reduction.
- Melt Spinning Line – Melts and extrudes synthetic filaments for downstream manufacturing.
- Needling Line – Processes staple fibres through opening, carding, cross-lapping, and needle punching to create finished fabrics for various applications.
- Porolux 100 Porometer – Determines pore size distribution in fabrics using capillary flow porometry.
- ProGage Thickness Tester – Measures fabric thickness up to 5 mm, adhering to ISO 9073 standards.
- Rotary Microtome – Prepares precise sections for microscopic analysis.
- Small Carding Machine – Aligns and disentangles staple fibre to form a web for further processing.
- Small Needle Loom – Needle punches fibre webs, creating nonwoven fabrics.
- Spunbond Machine – Produces microfibre webs from melted synthetic filaments for filter media, healthcare, and construction.
- Thermobonding Oven – Uses heat and compression to bond fibre webs containing low-melt polymers.
- Ultrasonic Coater – Creates precision coatings with ultrasonic vibrations, ensuring uniform application.
Materials Testing Lab
Our modern testing lab evaluates the aesthetics, functionality, and durability of textiles. Equipped to measure everything from abrasion resistance to moisture management, the lab ensures comprehensive material characterisation.
- Air Permeability Tester – Measures air flow through fabrics.
- Accelerator Abrasion System – Measures both dry and wet abrasion of textiles.
- Crease Recovery & Wrinkle Recovery Testers – Assess the easy-care performance of fabrics according to British and AATCC standards.
- C-Therm Thermal Conductivity Analyser – Evaluates textiles for cool/warm sensation properties.
- Crumple Flex Tester – Tests flex abrasion in coated and laminated fabrics.
- Diastron Dimensional Tester – Measures single fibre dimensions with precision.
- Diastron Tensile Tester – Analyses tensile strength of individual fibres.
- Drape Meter – Evaluates fabric drape using advanced image analysis software.
- ElmaTear Digital Tester – Measures tear resistance in textiles, nonwovens, and sheet materials.
- Fabric Assurance through Simple Testing (FAST) – Analyses key mechanical properties such as compression, bending, and extension.
- Friction/Peel Tester – Conducts friction and peel tests for textiles and packaging materials.
- Helmet Impact Resistance Tester – Assesses the impact resistance of protective helmets.
- Hydrostatic Head Tester – Measures water penetration resistance in fabrics.
- Kawabata Evaluation System (KES-F) – Provides comprehensive data on fabric bending, shear, tensile, compression, and surface properties.
- Martindale Abrasion Systems – Assess dry and wet abrasion in textiles.
- Moisture Vapour Permeability Dish Tester – Evaluates fabric water vapour permeability.
- Orbitor & SnagPod Tester – Tests pilling and snagging resistance in fabrics.
- ProMace Snagging Tester – Analyses snagging resistance of apparel and upholstery fabrics.
- Rain Room – Simulates varied rainfall conditions to test garment repellency and resistance.
- Spray Rating Tester – Measures water repellency.
- Sweating Guarded Hotplate (Skin Model) – Assesses thermal resistance and moisture vapour permeability.
- Taber Abrasion System – Tests abrasion resistance of coated materials like plastics and metals.
- Tensile Testers – Measure strength and deformation across diverse materials.
- Tog Meter – Determines thermal resistance of blankets, duvets, and similar textiles.
- TruBurst Tester – Evaluates bursting strength and fatigue resistance in textiles.
- UV Atlas Weatherometer – Simulates environmental exposure for weather testing.
- WickView – Tests fabric moisture management performance.
Chemistry and Analytics Lab
Our Chemistry and Analytics Lab supports advanced chemical characterisation and material analysis. From thermal transitions to colourant evaluations, the lab enables precise, application-driven insights.
- Accelerated Solvent Extraction- Automate extraction, filtration and clean-up of compounds from solid and semisolid samples.
- Accudry – used to simulate domestic laundering conditions and conduct drying tests and shrinkage testing.
- Capillary Electrophoresis – separation system to characterise liquid mixtures.
- Datacolour Spectrophotometer - measures, analyses, reports, shares, and visualises exact colour results.
- Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC)– characterisation of thermal transitions in materials during heating or cooling.
- Dimatix Materials Printer – innovative digital ink development printer.
- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) – characterisation of organic and inorganic materials.
- Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer/“Nose” Analyser – characterisation of gaseous, volatiles, fragrances, and odours.
- GyroWash – measures the colour fastness of textiles and leather to washing and dry-cleaning
- High Performance Liquid Chromatography – separation system to characterise liquid mixtures.
- HPLC – MS Spectrometer – determines structural information of the separated molecules.
- Kruss Dropshape Analyser– determines contact angle and surface energy of materials.
- Micro Plate Reader– performs assays quickly and easily in both microplates or via port.
- Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) – determining weight changes in materials during heating.
- Thin Layer Chromatography linked to Mass Spectrometer – Obtains mass data for separated TLC plates.
- UV/Visible Spectrophotometer – with Xenon flash lamp and external xenon lamp for sample reactions in a temperature-controlled cuvette, determines fast ultraviolet/visible absorption/transmission analysis of materials.
- UV/Vis NIR Spectrophotometer - determines ultraviolet/visible absorption / transmission / reflectance of materials.
- Wascator– standard reference washing machine European retail standards.
Wet and Dry Processing Lab
Our Wet and Dry Processing Lab is designed to develop, test, and enhance textile materials through innovative processing techniques. The lab supports a wide range of research and industrial applications.
- Atmospheric Plasma Machine – Enables surface engineering of materials to impart liquid repellency, wettability, flame retardancy, lubricity, and biocompatibility.
- Capillary Rheometer – Measures the viscosity of polymeric materials.
- Electrospinning Equipment – Produces fine fibres with small diameters using electrostatic attraction between a charged polymer and a grounded target.
- FAA Micro Calorimeter – Analyses thermo-chemical parameters such as specific heat release rate, heat of combustion, and ignition temperature.
- Fibre Melt Spinner (Rondol) – Melts polymer chips and extrudes the molten polymer through a spinneret into flimanet.
- Fong Lab Jet Dyeing Machine – A small-scale jet dyer designed for low water usage in fabric dyeing.
- Gyrowash – Determines microfibre shedding from textile fabrics during aqueous processing.
- HAAKE™ MiniLab 3 Micro Compounder – Facilitates small-scale polymer compounding.
- Hydraulic Press – Compresses polymer into film or facilitates compression moulding of textile-reinforced composites.
- Laundry Facility – Features laundering machines and tumble dryers for developing innovative laundry processing techniques.
- Limiting Oxygen Index Analyser – Measures the minimum atmospheric oxygen level required to sustain burning in textile fabrics.
- Mathis Air Boy Dyeing Machine– A small-scale dyeing machine.
- Mathis Baker Steamer – A baker and steamer capable of drying, curing, and steaming for dye and chemical fixation.
- Mathis Lab Jet Dyeing Machine – A small-scale jet dyer for fabric dyeing.
- Mathis Labomat Dyeing Machine – A machine for small sample dyeing.
- Mathis Mini-Jig Dyeing Machine – A small-scale jig dyer designed for low water usage in fabric dyeing.
- Mathis Padder – A controlled applicator for wet chemicals or dyes on fabrics.
- Polymer Compounder (ThermoElectron) – Mixes pigments or effect additives into polymer chips before extrusion.
- Roaches Garment Dyeing Machine– Short-length garment dyeing machine.
- Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Dyeing Machine – Facilitates dry, waterless dyeing with lower environmental impact.
- Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extractor – A dry, solventless extraction system for removing valuable materials from natural and synthetic substances.
- TruFade Tester – A xenon arc light fastness instrument that tests textiles and other materials for colourfastness to light.
- Wet Spinning Line – A pilot-scale system that extrudes polymer dope into a coagulation bath, forming mono- and multi-filament wound packages.
Fashion Studio
Our Fashion Studio space has a range of machinery to support the creation and design of clothing. Modern CAD/CAM technology enables seamless garment development from concept to production.
- Buttonhole Machines (x2) – Forms buttonholes.
- Cover stitch Machine – Produces a cover stitch, often used for foundation wear, underwear, and sportswear.
- Cylinder Bed Machine – Designed for stitching small, curved areas, such as sleeve attachments.
- Embroidery Machine – Programmable and computerised for detailed embroidery designs.
- Headdress Formers – Tools for designing and developing headwear.
- Industrial Flatbed Lockstitch Machines (x28) – Standard machines for sewing woven fabrics.
- Men’s Mannequins (x25) – Male forms in various sizes for garment development.
- Overlock Machines (x4) – Combine fabric pieces with chain stitch while trimming excess material. Ideal for knitted fabrics and seam neatening.
- Sonic Bonding Machine – Performs continuous bonding, slitting, punching, and hook-and-loop bonding for textiles and nonwovens.
- Tape Seal Machine – Enables sew-free bonding of hems or edges.
- Vacuum Ironing Tables and Steam Boilers (x6) – Press fabrics and garments with steam and vacuum functionality.
- Women’s Mannequins (x25) – Female forms in various sizes for garment development.
XLab
The XLab is a cutting-edge hub for digital and immersive solutions, supporting Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) applications.
- D Body Scanner - Creates accurate 3D scans.
- Cyberith Virtualizer ELITE 2 (VR Treadmill) - Enhances interactive MR experiences.
- EEG Headset with VR support - Includes a VR/MR headset, motion capture systems, and bio-feedback devices with 20+ sensors for data capture.
- Fusion - Compact, high-performance VR eye tracking.
- HaptX Gloves - Simulate tactile sensations of virtual objects.
- HaptX Gloves G1 - Simulate tactile sensations of virtual objects
- Neuron Mocap System- Real-time 3D/2D animation streaming.
- TESLASuit- A human-to-digital interface for immersive simulations.
- Tobii Pro Eye Trackers and glasses- Wearable first-person perspective tracking.
- VR Headsets - A range including Microsoft Hololens, Varjo XR, META Quest, and HTC Vive Pro.
Psychophysics and Lighting Lab
This facility blends colour science, psychology, and practical applications, supporting advancements in colour assessment and material appearance.
- ABM B-Alert X10 EEG System – An electroencephalographic recording system that measures electrical activity in the brain.
- CS2000 Tele-Spectroradiometer – Measures spectral radiance of emissive or illuminated objects.
- Digital Lux Meter LX1010BS – Measures illuminance levels in various environments.
- Konica Minolta Spectrophotometers – Devices for measuring spectral reflectance factors and colour differences, including portable models (CM-2600d, CM-700d) and benchtop units (CM-3600d).
- LED Simulator – Facilitates 3D image capture for small objects using structured light technology.
- Room LED Lighting System – Provides spectrally controlled illumination for a whole room.
- Tobii Pro Fusion Eye Tracker – Records participants' eye movements and visual attention.
- VITA Linearguide 3D-MASTER – A dental shade-matching system for accurately selecting and replicating natural tooth colours.
- VIVE Pro VR Headset – A high-quality virtual reality device offering immersive experiences.
- Verivide DigiEye System (1300mm Cube) – Measures colour and appearance for large sample analysis.
- Verivide DigiEye System (700mm Cube) – Features a Nikon D7000 camera for small sample analysis of textiles, food, and teeth.
- X-Rite i1 Pro 2– A spectrophotometer for accurate colour calibration and profiling of displays, printers, and other colour output devices.
- X-Rite Spectrophotometers – Measure the spectral reflectance factors of objects.
- 3dMDface System – A photogrammetric 3D system for capturing facial geometry and texture.
- X-Rite PANTONE TAC 7 Colour Scanner – Captures and stores colour, texture, gloss, and other surface characteristics of materials.
- X-Rite PANTONE Virtual Light Booth – Enables accurate, side-by-side comparisons of digital and physical materials under identical conditions.
Filming and Photography Studios
The Photography Studio offers professional-grade equipment for a wide range of multimedia solutions. We specialise in creating educational, promotional, and social content, from short-form videos to long-form projects, animations, and motion graphics. We provide professional video and photography services tailored to your needs. This includes two fully equipped video and photography studios for versatile production requirements and an audio booth for high-quality voiceover recordings.
- Cameras
- Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2
- Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K
- Phantom Flex 4K (super slow-motion capture)
- Lenses
- A range of professional zoom lenses
- Canon Cine Prime
- Cooke S4 Prime
- Lighting - LED RGB panels and light tubes for adaptable, creative lighting.
- Photography Gear - High-resolution still cameras for professional image capture
- Stabilisation and Motion Equipment
- Gimbals for smooth, dynamic shots
- Rhino slider with precise motion control
Digital Print and Laser Cutting
The Digital Print and Laser Cutting Lab has state-of-the-art printers and laser cutters to support innovative design and prototyping through digital, laser, and 3D printing.
- Builder Extreme 1500 Pro – A 3D printer perfect for large-scale projects.
- Epson SC-F9300 Sublimation Ink Printer – Prints sublimation inks on full-width transfer print paper.
- Ender 3D – Excellent for small-scale prototyping.
- FB Series Laser Cutter – Designed for precision cutting, engraving, and marking on a wide range of materials, including wood, acrylic, and textiles.
- Hewlett Packard 260 Latex Printer – Capable of printing latex-based colourants onto a wide range of fabrics, films, and paper.
- Mimaki JV150A Digital Printer – Prints sublimation inks on full-width transfer print paper.
- Risograph MZ770 Printer – Single-color printer for high-quality, commercial-grade printing on paper or card (1 black and 4 colour drums).
- SLA Formlabs 4 3D Printer – Uses advanced resins to create parts with smooth finishes, ideal for product design, medical models, and intricate components.
- Transmatic 7360 Rotary Transfer Press – Heated calendar for sublimation printing onto full-width fabrics.
- Trotec Q400 Laser Cutter – High-speed precision cutting and engraving for diverse materials. Its intuitive software and advanced features make it perfect for technical prototyping, creative projects, and high-detail designs.
- Ultimaker 2+ & 3 Extended – The Ultimaker 2+ is a single-material printer with precise detail, while the Ultimaker 3 Extended supports dual-material and complex designs with its larger build volume and advanced extrusion system.
Printmaking Studio
Our Printmaking studio bridges traditional techniques with modern applications, offering screen printing, etching, and photoetching tools.
- Kippax Hand Screen Printing Table – A hand-operated table for printing coated screens and paper stencils.
- Kippax Horizontal Drying Cabinet – A thermostatically controlled cabinet for drying and storing pre-exposed silk screen frames.
- Kippax UV Light Exposure Unit – This is used to expose film-positive images to create screen stencils for screen printing, and it is also used for exposing UV light to create solar plates for photoetching.
- Kippax Washout Booths (x2) – Used for washing out UV light-exposed silk screen frames before and after printing.
- Mailander Proofing Press – Used for lino, woodblock, and light embossing.
- Penrose Tabletop Etching Press – A smaller hand-operated press used for all intaglio processes, monotype, and pronto plate lithography.
- Rochat Floor-standing Etching Press – A hand-operated press used for all intaglio processes and monotype.
- Rochat Hot Plates (x2) – Thermostatically controlled hot plates are used to heat etch plates before being coated with wax ground before acid etching.
Workshop
The Workshop is a dynamic space designed for hands-on fabrication and prototyping across various materials and techniques. It supports creative and technical projects from concept to completion and is equipped with advanced 3D printing technology, casting tools, woodworking equipment, and a fully outfitted metalwork area.
- Including casting, woodwork, metalwork, and 3D printing.
- Casting Area – Includes model-making tools, plaster, concrete, wax melting pot, Jesmonite, and clay modelling.
- Metal Workshop – A fully equipped metalwork area, including a metal guillotine, sheet metal roller, TIG welder, MIG welder, stick welder, plasma cutter, polisher, angle grinder, and chop saw.
- Woodwork Workshop- a fully equipped woodwork area with a range of equipment including table saw, Cross saw and Mitre Saw.
