Please visit our Section Web Site at

Section Officers:
Mr Les Mapstone
Section Chair
Mapstone Consulting Services
Email: mapstone@bigpond.net.au
Mr Michael William Clifford CText ATI
Elected Vice Chair
Holeproof
Email: mclifford@pacbrands.com.au
Mrs Ann Williams
Section Secretariat
Colanna Business Services
Email: colann1@bigpond.com
Mr N L Emselle CText FTI BSc DipTex Chem
Section Immediate Past President
Floorcoverings Technical Services plc
Email: noel@ftg.com.au
Dr Rajiv Padhye CText FTI BSc Ph.D
Section Committee Member
RMIT
Email: rajiv.padhye@rmit.edu.au
Angie Kent
Section Committee Associate Member
Holeproof
Mrs M Mirt
Section Committee Member
RMIT
Mrs Sylvia Walsh
Section Committee Member
RMIT
Mrs Trudie Ellen Orchard LTI
Section Committee Member
RMIT
Mrs Olga Troynikov
Section Committee Member
RMIT

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
International Year of Natural Fibres - Natural fibres in Australasia
Combined NZ and Aus conference of The Textile Institute
Dunedin, New Zealand, 15-17 April 2009
First notice
The objectives of this conference are to:
• recognise and celebrate the United Nations Year of natural fibres;
• examine current issues related to natural fibres in Australasia – production, processing, development of niche products, use, disposal
• facilitate discussion among those working with textiles manufactured from natural fibres – such as members of The Textile Institute, and other professionals (academics, technologists, industrialists, curatorial/collections managers of textile collections).
This conference is being held in Dunedin, New Zealand, at the University of Otago, New Zealand's first University and is the first joint conference of branches of The Textile Institute in New Zealand and Australia. Both the conference theme and sub-topics are relevant to challenges facing those with diverse interests in natural fibres.
Abstracts (400 words) sought for the following themes, and are due on line by 30 November 2008.
Concurrent sessions are not planned.
Registration options will accommodate those interested in only selected parts of the programme.
Programme
Wednesday 15 April
1 Protein fibres
am Supply and disposal
pm Processing and niche products
Thursday 16 April
2 Cellulose fibres
am Supply and disposal
pm Processing and niche products
evening Conference dinner
Friday 17 April
3 Cultural artefacts of natural fibre
am NZ /Australian cultural artefacts of natural fibres
pm Identification, conservation, preservation – current practices
optional workshop/forum
Sponsorship opportunities
For further information, contact:
Raechel M Laing
Ph 64 3 479 7540
raechel.laing@stonebowotago.ac.nz