The AITEX-UPV Chair hosted the presentation and delivery of the Third Home Textile Awards on June 14th. Two categories were awarded; one for printing and the other for Jacquard. The awards ceremony was attended by José Luis Cueto Lominchar, vice-rector of students, culture and sport of the UPV, Juan Ignacio Torregrosa, director of the Campus of Alcoy of the UPV and Rafael Pascual, president of AITEX. All present praised the quality and the high number of entries in both categories.

The jury was made up of representatives from the private sector: Francisco Jover SA, Orts Payá SL, Viuda from Rafael Gandía S.A, Hilados Muravo SLU, Eduardo Díaz, president of UNIFAM, Ramón Sabater, of Feria Valencia and Humberto Martínez, director of the Textil Express magazine. The projects were judged for originality, creativity, trends, technical quality, design and presentation. The following prizes were awarded:

Printing:
1st prize of €1000 for the UBUNTU project presented by Borja Salido García, a student of Engineering in Industrial Design and Product Development at the UPV.
2nd prize of €500 for the FUNNY FOREST project presented by Laura Díaz, a student of Engineering in Industrial Design and Product Development at the UPV.
3rd prize of €250 for the FIXEA project presented by Saúl Pérez, a student of Engineering in Industrial Design and Product Development at the UPV.

Jacquard:
1st prize of €1500 for the MONARCA project presented by Mª Cristina Puchades, student of AITEX’s weaving course.
2nd prize of €1000 to the PINEAPPLE project presented by Mª Cristina Puchades, student of the AITEX’s weaving course.
3rd prize of €500 for the project GIRASOLES ANTHOS presented by Ana Martí Martín, student of AITEX’s weaving course.

The winners will also have the opportunity to present their projects to textile manufacturers at the upcoming international fair Home Textiles Premium, held in the Caja Mágica in Madrid from September 11 to 13. The 31 projects submitted will be exhibited in the Exhibition Hall of the Industrial Circle during June from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The goal of the competition is to reward the best designs and developments of creative fabrics with applications in home textile products, using printing or jacquard technique, in addition to awakening in the young an interest in the textile world and to see textiles as an exciting employment opportunity.

The AITEX Chair is the result of collaboration between the two institutions to carry out activities of a common interest. Its purpose is the promotion and development of activities that contribute to the positioning of the textile sector, both at university level and in society in general. The Chair aims to raise the profile of the textile industry as an attractive, multidisciplinary sector with a bright future.