The core textiles industry is manufacturing textiles products while the allied industry has been carrying out research and development to upgrade the machinery, dyes & chemicals and new processes while universities are not only providing the education but also carrying out the research, all these are then utilized by the fashion designers, engineers and technologists in the textiles mills, at the buying houses or by the brands. There has always been a great desire to connect all these four stakeholders together within the countries but importantly internationally. Realizing the need to connect these actors, and to create industry-academia-engineers/fashion designers linkages, the ICAC has created a forum namely, International Textiles Research Council / Association / Research Network.

The objective of Research Network / International Textiles Research Council / Association / Research Center is to provide the leadership in research in textiles value chain. Moreover, the Research Forum will Provide a global forum to integrate and disseminate the research work carried out by universities; research organizations; institutes; compliance organizations and allied industries including machinery manufacturers; dye and chemical manufacturers; and fibers. The Research Forum will also facilitate in providing science based solutions to improve sustainability and may develop sustainability index as well. The Research Forum will facilitate coordination between universities, research organizations, and research departments in allied industry organizations, compliance organization, engineers, technologists and fashion designers. The Research Forum will connect the textiles universities with the research departments of textiles machinery manufacturers, dyes and chemicals and importantly the engineers working the textiles factories and lastly the fashion designers. Lastly, there would be a live/chat-discussion forum as well.