2022 – the SDC’s year in review
2022 has certainly been an exciting year for the SDC. Back in January, we were still unsure of what the future would hold, regarding the abating pandemic, but we did not let this slow us down.
So much has happened that we couldn’t possibly fit everything into one blog, so here are some highlights of the past 12 months, as we head into 2023…
We fuelled conversation about technology, innovation and net zero ambitions
Early in the year, the SDC urged the textile industry to harness developments in processes and create a new era of reduced environmental impact.
Our landmark white paper, Destination low carbon: Global technology and innovation reducing the environmental footprint of textile coloration to summarise exemplary practice, and to inspire the wider sector, remains free to download.
A total of six case studies from the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, and Germany explained methods developed and established over recent years as well as brand-new innovation. The global conversation continues as our sector makes great strides in the right direction.
We appointed a new president with global sustainability credentials
In June, we appointed Ullhas Nimkar CCol FDSC as our new President. The chairman and managing director of NimkarTek Technical Services, based in Mumbai, has been a member of the SDC for 35 years.
Taking over from John Hansford, his aim was to help the society and the wider sector address ecological and regulatory issues and for the past few months he has been making steady progress with the support of our board, staff, associates and members.
NimkarTek provides analytical testing services to stakeholders in the textile and apparel supply chain and is supporting brands in in their ambitious goal of Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC).
Ulllhas’s views and insights into the future of coloration, and the environmental challenges we face in the industry, is very much in line with the focus we have placed on sustainability through our webinars this year, and of course the SDC International Design Competition.
We’ve devised and delivered a series of fascinating and insightful webinars
This year we have hosted a grand total of 11 webinars, spanning topics such as digital dyeing, colour lifecycle management, and sustainable dyeing of cellulosic fibres.
Our six-strong Sustainability Series in October and November was our most ambitious undertaking yet, akin to an online conference in digestible chunks.
The programme looked at the full textile coloration process, beginning with the sustainability and environmental issues faced by the industry, how collaboration across the supply chain can bring change, innovations in dyeing and resurgences of traditional methods.
All of our webinars will be available to watch again via the members area of our website and then the online shop to obtain them free of charge to members, and non-members can access these recordings at £20 each through our shop.
Our educational offerings are growing
The educational opportunities afforded by our webinar series are just a drop in the ocean of what is available from the SDC. This year we made some changes to our core educational qualifications, so that they are clearer and more accessible.
The former FTCC (Foundation Textile Coloration Certificate) and TCC (Textile Coloration Certificate) are now combined into a single three-year programme, titled Level 3 Textile Coloration Science and Technology, leading to the qualification of Textile Coloration Certificate (TCC).
Secondly, our degree equivalent ASDC (Associateship of the Society of Dyers and Colourists) is now titled Level 6 Textile Coloration Science and Technology, leading to the qualification of Associateship of the Society of Dyers and Colourists (ASDC).
In addition to the changes to our core qualification, we added a new string to our bow in the stand alone eight-hour course: Colour in Design and the Textile Supply Chain.
Our new course is SCORM compliant and offers students of all colour disciplines – especially design – an opportunity to learn at their own pace and expand their education.
SDC bursaries are helping colour professionals at crucial career stages
The value we place on learning is consistently bolstered by our bursary offering – and hardworking students took advantage of the opportunities available to undertake some important and innovative work this year.
BA (Hons) Textile Design student at the University of Leeds, Molly Talbot, used her funds to explore thermochromic and photochromic inks, creating a dynamic colour collection that changes and responds to heating and cooling.
Natasha Mays, another creatively-minded recipient – used the funding received to deliver a free practical natural dye workshop in London for 11 to 16-year-olds from black ethnicity backgrounds.
Natasha’s MA studies focused predominantly on sustainability in textile production from a social and cultural standpoint, and its impact on black people in particular.
We expect to see more fantastic work from our new bursary recipients in 2023, and we are excited at the prospect of approving forthcoming applications.
We finally got together – and how!
The SDC’s long awaited SDC Annual Awards Ceremony and Celebratory Dinner took place on Friday 25th November at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall in York.
Due to Covid restrictions, this was our first such get-together in three and a half years. This meant we had a very long list of educational award recipients and other professionals honoured at this memorable event.
Visit our new website, for the full list of award recipients.
We’re greeting 2023 with a brand-new website in place
Towards the end of the year, we saw a very exciting development in the completion of our new website.
We have achieved a full overhaul of the previous site, and are proud to now offer a more accessible, and intuitive, offering to our wonderful members and visitors.
The newly structured members area makes learning a much more streamlined process, and the fresh design of the site as a whole, make accessing our blogs and other offerings much easier.
If you haven’t done so already, please visit and take a look around – we’re sure you’ll love it as much as we do. we’re sure you’ll love it as much as we do. Login to gain access to many member-only items in our Digital Archive for example.
See you all in January!
As we wrap up another eventful year, we will head into 2023 with enthusiasm and optimism. There are already many interesting plans in the pipeline, from a line-up of new webinars to pique your interest, to different events, and more.
There’s so much more we could talk about, from the success of the SDC’s journal Coloration Technology, the progress we have made in digitising our extensive archive – indeed, the very history of our industry – and our collaboration and involvement with others … but, as we said, we have been busy!