A fabric for technology

Several European initiatives have been launched to give direct help to the garment manufacturing industry and in the UK, one of the most significant has been the CIMTEX project. As well as being a large, factory based, research programme, CIMTEX was also a demonstration centre and a small scale production unit. It had strong links with local trades union, manufacturer´s associations and training organisations. Funded by the DTI from 1990 until 1993, in terms of achieving the DTI deliverables, the project was a resounding success. In terms of the impact that it had on the UK garment manufacturing industry, the judgement is more difficult to make. The majority of the research work came to an end in 1993 because, at that time, the DTI was not able to fund new projects, however well founded. However, much of the non-research work, for instance the training, bureau and small scale production work, continued. This article reviews CIMTEX and makes an assessment of where it succeeded and where it could have done better