Sportswear

The department of textiles focuses on textile materials and structures for a wide range of applications. One of them is smart textiles. Being one of the pioneers in this field, the department has an international top reputation. Supported by mathematical models and nano-fiber structures, smart products can be designed that actively provide optimal thermal comfort. Smart textiles can also be designed for providing support at dedicated parts of the body, as well as for heating and electro-stimulation purposes. We are also able to design smart textile products according to the specifications of the end user by using state-of-the art product design methodologies.

On the other hand, the core business of the Fashion & Textile Innovation Lab (FTI Lab) is applications oriented research and development with technology transfer to the industry. Services related to sports are tailor made. (semi) Industrial equipment for spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing and cutting & sewing allows the development and production of functional textile materials and garments. This includes 3D body scanning and modelling, digital printing and micro-deposition of chemicals, coating, plasma, laser, etc. Furthermore the FTI Lab focuses on fit adjustments for personalized sportswear, intelligent textiles and comfort optimization.

Furthermore, the extrusion facilities at Ghent University allow the study and production of a variety of specialty fibers for dedicated use, such as artificial turf. This enables the development of products with superior properties in terms of friction, resilience etc. For further optimization of sports fields, our group collaborates with the department of soil mechanics. Did you know our department is the only FIFA accredited university lab in the world?!

More about Sportswear on our blog

Get in touch

You can contact us regarding upcoming R&D projects, the creation of new sport products or services, or any other suggestion related to the transfer of knowledge between academia and the sports sector.