The 7th annual Smart Fabrics 2011 will take place on 4-6 April 2011 at the Hotel Russell in London, UK and will cover topics such as the current status of innovative smart fabric technologies in the marketplace, as well as recent application breakthroughs and adoption. If you are involved in electronics, textiles, medical, sporting equipment, fashion, wireless communication industries, or military/space agencies this event could be of interest to you.
In 2011 the conference will be chaired by Stacey Burr, CEO of Textronics and VP at Adidas.
Stacey Burr is a leader in the field of smart fabrics. Following a career at DuPont, she founded and served as CEO of Textronics Inc, a pioneer in electro-textiles. Textronics lead the commercialization of e-textiles with the first wearable sensors for fitness and health. In late 2008 she successfully sold the Company to adidas and currently serves as Vice President, adidas Wearable Sports Electronics.
During her career at DuPont, Ms. Burr was involved in several polymers-based materials businesses that supplied the food industry and consumer product packaging sector. Ms. Burr spent six years in the textile fiber industry, where she led the North American Ready-to-Wear Apparel business for DuPont during its introduction of Lycra® spandex into consumer apparel. She has worked and managed in the areas of engineering, sales, manufacturing, business development and marketing.
Ms. Burr has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and an M.B.A, with a marketing and operations emphasis, from Purdue University. She is the co-inventor of several patented materials and process technology innovations. In addition to her position with adidas, she also serves as an advisor to other start-up businesses.
Conference co-chairs:
Dr Liesbeth van Pieterson, Project Leader of the Photonic Textile Project, PHILIPS RESEARCH
Erich Zainzinger, Founder, ELEXTILE
Confirmed speakers for the 2011 program include:
Adidas
Arrow Science Consulting
Center for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials
Clothing+
Cocona Fabric
CuteCircuit
Elextile
European Technology Platform for Textiles and Clothing
Fabrikology International
Forster Rohner AG
Future-Shape GmbH
Ghent University
Innovalley, Inc
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Ohmatex ApS
Outlast Europe
Parsons - The New School for Design
Philips Research
Sefar
Smart Fabrics and Nanotechnology
Textile Testing & Innovation, LLC
TITV Greiz
University of Southampton
Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities
Smart Fabrics 2011 offers an excellent opportunity to increase your visibility before a highly qualified audience of key decision makers. Depending on your goals and level of sponsorship required, a benefits package can be designed to target a narrow audience or broad group and may include event recognition as well as publicity, marketing, promotional opportunities and complimentary press passes. We also offer tabletop exhibit space and advertising in the conference proceedings.
Sponsoring Smart Fabrics 2011 allows for numerous opportunities to raise your company's profile and build brand awareness. Here are some of the benefits of being a sponsor and/or exhibitor at Smart Fabrics 2011:
Exposure: extensive branding throughout the marketing campaign and at the event.
Competitive Edge: position yourself ahead of the competition and raise the profile of your company and brand to key decision makers.
Build rapport as you meet face to face and network with global experts. Access to all networking functions providing a social and enjoyable environment to meet with all conference attendees, exhibitors and presenters.
All exhibit tables are located in a high visibility area just outside the conference room.
All sponsor and exhibit packages can be tailored to meet your individual budget and business goals and designed to ensure you receive return on investment.
Contact Stacey Ludlow at +44 (0) 1372 802052 or stacey.ludlow@pira-international.com for more information.
2011 will mark the 7th year for IntertechPira's Smart Fabrics conference. The event has moved around the world to accommodate the diverse audiences of textile manufacturers, OLED and LED lighting R&D, fashion designers, government employees and academics, investors and more. While the 2011 event will be in London, previous locations have included:
- 2010 - Miami, Florida
- 2009 - Rome, Italy
- 2008 - Charleston, South Carolina
- 2007 - Washington, DC
- 2006 - Miami, Florida
- 2005 - Barcelona, Spain
The Smart Fabrics' programs focus on important and cutting-edge innovations, up and coming applications and other issues relevant to those involved in the industry in any capacity.
Venue and Accommodations 
Hotel Russell
1-8 Russell Square
Bloomsbury, London
WC1B 5BE
UK
Hotel Russell is your ideal location when visiting the capital of the United Kingdom. Situated in the heart of Bloomsbury in the very centre of London, the historic Hotel Russell dominates the east side of Russell Square so you can enjoy the peaceful, tranquil greenery of Russell Square Gardens whilst being close to all major London attractions, financial and commercial districts.
The hotel is easily accessible with Euston, St. Pancras and Kings Cross train stations only a 10 minute walk or a very short taxi journey away. Russell Square Tube Station is literally next door and on the Piccadilly line that can take you to Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square within minutes.
All 373 of the hotels en-suite bedrooms, have been furnished to a high standard with your comfort being top priority. Tempus Bar is the ideal venue to relax whilst having a pre-dinner drink before you enjoy an excellent meal in Fitzroy Doll's restaurant.
To Book a Room:
Participants and speakers are responsible for booking their own accommodations, however, a limited number of rooms have been set aside at the hotel at a discounted rate of £109 + VAT per night on 3 - 4 April and £149 + VAT on 5 - 6 April. To take advantage of this discounted rate, please book your room no later than February 3, 2011.
Tel: +44 (0) 207 8376470 (please mention that you are attending the IntertechPira's Smart Fabrics 2011 Conference or use code 1518614)
2011 Pricing + Contact Information
Program Inquiries
Barbara Rojas
+1 207 807 5749
barbara.rojas@pira-international.com
Sponsorship + Exhibit Inquiries
Stacey Ludlow
+44 (0) 1372 802052
stacey.ludlow@pira-international.com
Registration + Membership Inquiries
Paul Squires
+44 (0) 1372 802051
paul.squires@pira-international.com
Marketing + Association Partnership Inquiries
Valerie King
+1 207 781 9616
valerie.king@pira-international.com
| Register through 28 January | Register January 29 - February 25 | Register after February 25 | Pre-Conference Seminars | Academic Rate* ** | Government Rate** |
| £899 | £949 | £999 | £319 | £500 | £569 |
*Student rates are also available. Please contact Barbara Rojas at +1 207 807 5749 or barbara.rojas@pira-international.com for more information.
** Academic and government rates may require proof of status. Please contact Paul Squires at +44 (0) 1372 802051 or paul.squires@pira-international.com to register at the academic or government rate.
Pre-Conference Seminar 1: Finding the Killer Application in the wearable technology space
Monday, 4 April - 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Seminar Instructor: Erich Zainzinger, Founder, Elextile
Cost: £319
The call for the 'Killer Application' is perceived as the solution to kick-start the smart clothing business. Taking 'Killer business models' that have turned upside down traditional business in other sectors as reference and inspiration - identifying the 'Killer Applications' in the wearable technology space might be as easy as to connecting dots to form a clear image of business opportunities.
Pre-Conference Seminar 2: Fashion Phreaking
Monday, 4 April - 1:30 - 5:00 pm
Seminar Instructor: Nancy Tilbury
Cost: £319
(F)-ph-ashion Phreaking is new form of objectifying and contextualizing 'Smart Clothing and Intelligent Cloth'. To be smart you are knowledgeable, intelligent, sharp, gifted and able. Most 'Smart Fashion' is currently awkward, unwieldy, burdensome, weighty, clumsy and self-conscious, where sportswear is surging ahead. It is well documented we are at the gateway for ubiquitous technologies via nano-spheres, active atmospheres and the biosciences, this is a world that will finally offer more flexible and seductive components for fashioning technology and the body. Attention is being given to the architecture of apparel with the timely success of Adidas MiCoach and Nike +.
The big question on the lips of the fashioning technology community is -"Why is it a consumer still cannot go into the high street store and buy a (so called) Smart Shirt or interactive capsule wardrobe?"
Why is it that fashion consumers have more allegiance for nostalgia garments and sentimental shopping, preferring pure vintage to high-tech styles with their smart phone in their pocket, not knitted into their sleeve?
With the 21st Century high street as our starting point we have assembled a team of (F)-ph-ashion Phreakers to Phreak during the annual Smart Fabrics Conference. This year's conference see's delegates of the SFITC convene in the elite fashion capital of the world, London known for its street style and edginess. London's fashion favorite high street hitters will provide collections and vintage garments for the delegates to upgrade and side-grade to become 'Smart' and 'Sustained'. Phreaking will offer a unique DNA redesigned into the clothing through smart textile and micro technology integration. The team will bring their (F)-ph-ashion Phreaking apparelatus (tools and equipment) including a digital cutting table, our 'Digital Draping' techniques from the Fashion Labs (of The Philips Design Probes Team and the MA Fashion Programme at Kingston University) to precision fit sensors, light displays, switches, transformables into the (F)-phashion Phreak Collection resulting in innovative silhouettes, striking materiality and elegant high tech high street fashion formations. The results of the afternoon will be a showcase of integration in the window of the chosen London stores during the conference following the Phreak event afternoon.