International Textile and Colour Conference 2027 opens registration

Researchers and industry invited to Leeds for conference examining the future of textiles, fashion and colour

Registration is now open for the International Textile and Colour Conference (ITCC) 2027, which will bring researchers, academics and industry professionals together at the University of Leeds to discuss the latest developments in textile and colour research.

The conference, hosted by the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) and the School of Design, University of Leeds will take place from 16-18 June 2027 and will explore research across textiles, fashion and colour, from advanced materials and manufacturing to artificial intelligence, sustainability, circularity, healthcare and technical applications.

The call for abstracts is also now open, with contributions invited across eight conference themes, including advanced manufacturing and automation, materials innovation and chemistry, digital transformation and AI, sustainable production, circular systems, technical and infrastructure applications and health, wellbeing and human performance textiles.

Speaking of the inaugural ITCC 2025, Katharine Beacham, Head of Materials and Sustainability, Marks & Spencer shared: 

“The conference featured an outstanding lineup of speakers from across the textiles and colour sectors, representing both industry and academia. It was refreshing to experience such a diverse range of presentations, covering topics from medical textiles to the pressing challenges faced by the retail sector.  

“Compared to similar conferences I’ve attended recently, this one offered a welcome change. The topics and discussions felt genuinely new and insightful, rather than reiterations of familiar themes.”  

ITCC 2027 will consider the increasing connections between textile and colour research and other areas of science, technology and industry. As new materials, digital technologies and manufacturing processes develop, there are opportunities for research in these fields to contribute to challenges well beyond traditional textile and fashion applications.

The conference will also provide opportunities for researchers to engage with industry and consider how research can be developed, tested and applied in practice.

This reflects LITAC’s work across textile science, colour science, materials, chemistry, engineering, manufacturing, digital technologies and design, and its established links with industry.

Abstracts of no more than 600 words are invited from researchers, academics, postgraduate researchers and industry professionals. Interdisciplinary contributions are particularly encouraged.

The deadline for submissions is 12 midnight (GMT) on 26 February 2027.

Registration for ITCC 2027 is now open.

For further information, and to register or submit an abstract, visit https://conferences.leeds.ac.uk/itcc2027/.