2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology

Página Inicial
Portugal
Azurém
2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology

2C2T is an excellence research unit developing innovative solutions for the textile industry.

24/07/2026

🌞 From Fibres to Smart Textiles: inspiring the next generation of engineers 

 As another edition of Universidade do Minho ‘s Verão no Campus comes to an end, 2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology and Departamento de Engenharia Têxtil were delighted to welcome a group of enthusiastic secondary school students to our activity “From Fibres to Smart Textiles”. This year’s edition was fully booked, reflecting the growing interest in textile engineering and advanced materials.

  Throughout the week, participants experienced university life while exploring the world of smart and functional textiles through a series of hands-on activities. They had the opportunity to discover medical textiles, e-textiles, structural colours, bioactive fibres, antimicrobial systems, and sustainable textile solutions, guided by researchers from 2C2T and DET.

 More than introducing cutting-edge research, the programme aimed to inspire curiosity, encourage scientific thinking, and demonstrate how textile engineering contributes to solving real-world challenges in healthcare, sustainability, sports, mobility and personal protection. 

It has been a pleasure to share our laboratories, research and enthusiasm with such a motivated group of students. We hope this experience has inspired some of them to pursue studies and careers in engineering and scientific research. 

A heartfelt thank you to all the participants and to everyone who helped make this edition of Verão no Campus such a success. We look forward to welcoming future engineers back to 2C2T in 2027! 

📸 Take a look at some of the highlights from this week’s activities! 

FutureEngineers

22/07/2026

🎓 Spotlight on Micaela Gomes – using bacteria-derived pigments to create antibacterial intimate textiles that support women’s health and sustainability.

What if underwear could help protect women’s health while also reducing the environmental impact of textile production?

In this edition, Micaela shares how her PhD research explores bacteria-origin pigments for textile dyeing to develop antibacterial intimate clothing aimed at preventing vaginal infections. By cultivating specific bacterial strains, these natural pigments can both colour textiles and provide antimicrobial functionality, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional antibacterial finishes based on synthetic chemicals.

Applied to underwear fabrics, these biofunctional pigments are designed to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria while ensuring comfort, durability, and safety for everyday use. Through this work, Micaela is not only developing innovative materials, but also advancing a greener textile finishing approach that addresses an important and often overlooked area of women’s health.

🔬 Watch the full spotlight to discover more.

16/07/2026

🏆 Congratulations to our young researchers!

The 2C2T proudly congratulates Mara Silva and Maria Flora, master‘s students at the University of Minho and members of the 2C2T research team, on receiving the Master‘s Awards from the Order of Engineers – Northern Region (OERN).

Presented on July 2nd, during the 2nd edition of the OERN Master‘s Awards, these distinctions recognise the academic excellence of Engineering master‘s students from higher education institutions across Northern Portugal. A total of 52 students were honoured this year for their outstanding academic achievements.

At 2C2T, Mara Silva, a Master‘s student in Textile Engineering, develops her research under the supervision of Dr. Jorge Padrão and co-supervision of Dr. Andrea Zille, while Maria Flora, from Biomedical Engineering, is supervised by Dr. Diana Ferreira and co-supervised by Dr. Rui Sousa.

Congratulations to both on this well-deserved recognition! 👏

🔗 Read the full story on our website: https://2c2t.uminho.pt/2c2t-researchers-honoured-with-the-oern-masters-awards/

14/07/2026

Applications for the 2nd phase of the Doctoral Programme in Textile Engineering at the University of Minho, for the 2026/27 academic year, are open from July 4th to 15th.

Developed with the involvement of the 2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology and the Departamento de Engenharia Têxtil, the programme trains excellent researchers in a strategic area for the industry, ranging from advanced textile materials to sustainability and technological innovation in the sector.

📄 Course information:
https://www.uminho.pt/PT/ensino/oferta-educativa/Cursos-Conferentes-a-Grau/_layouts/15/UMinho.PortalUM.UI/Pages/CatalogoCursoDetail.aspx?itemId=6019&catId=17

✍ Applications: Academic Portal or School of Engineering Portal (“Applications“ section › 3rd cycle)
https://alunos.uminho.pt/PT/candidatos/Doutoramentos/Paginas/default.aspx
https://www.eng.uminho.pt/pt/Estudar/Paginas/candidaturas.aspx

💰 Funding is available to all our PhD researchers, whether through research projects or FCT scholarships.

13/07/2026

Apply now for Phd in Fashion Design! 👗🔬

Fashion is also a field of research and your talent can go further than you imagine.

🎓 Applications for the 2nd phase of the PhD in Fashion Design, developed with the involvement of the 2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology and the Departamento de Engenharia Têxtil, are open from July 4th to 15th.

A programme that trains researchers capable of rethinking design through scientific rigour and a forward-looking vision.

✨ Swipe to learn more about the programme and apply now!

👉 Course information:
https://www.uminho.pt/PT/ensino/oferta-educativa/Cursos-Conferentes-a-Grau/_layouts/15/UMinho.PortalUM.UI/Pages/CatalogoCursoDetail.aspx?itemId=6019&catId=17

✍ Apply here:
https://www.eng.uminho.pt/pt/Estudar/Paginas/candidaturas.aspx

💰 Funding is available to all our PhD researchers, whether through research projects or FCT scholarships.

07/07/2026

🎓 PhD in Textile Engineering Successfully Completed

On July 6th, 2026, Rui Fernandes successfully defended his PhD in Textile Engineering at the University of Minho, with the thesis “Development of structural colors, assisted by plasma technology and biopolymer coating, for high visibility technical fabrics.”

His work focused on the development of structurally colored fabrics, exploring sustainable alternatives to conventional textile coloration processes through the use of photonic crystals. This innovative approach contributes to reducing water consumption, effluent generation, and the use of hazardous chemicals in textile finishing.

The PhD was supervised by Professor Dr. Andrea Zille and the late Professor Dr. António Pedro Souto, both from 2C2T.

The examination committee was chaired by Professor Dr. Raúl Fangueiro and included Professor Dr. Nuno Be**no (University of Beira Interior), Professor Dr. Cristina Figueiredo (University of Lisbon), Professor Dr. Jorge Santos (University of Minho), and the supervisor Professor Dr. Andrea Zille (2C2T, University of Minho).

The Centre for Textile Science and Technology congratulates Dr. Rui Fernandes for his successful defense and for the valuable scientific contributions made to the field of sustainable textile coloration.

👉 For more details access: https://2c2t.uminho.pt/phd-in-textile-engineering-successfully-completed-2/

02/07/2026

✨2C2T at the 3rd Mobilising Agendas Meeting

On 25 June, 2C2T was proud to take part in the 3rd Mobilising Agendas Meeting, showcasing our contribution to the GreenAuto PRR project alongside our consortium partners.

Throughout the event, 2C2T’s team had the opportunity to present how GreenAuto is driving innovation towards a more sustainable, digital and competitive automotive industry through collaborative R&D and advanced manufacturing solutions.

A highlight of the day was the visit of the Secretary of State for the Economy, João Rui Ferreira, to the Green Auto stand, where he learned more about the project‘s progress and the innovative work being developed by the consortium.

We would like to thank everyone who visited 2C2T’s stand and engaged with our researchers throughout the event. We look forward to continuing to contribute to the future of sustainable mobility through innovation and collaboration.

🔗 Learn more about the GreenAuto project: https://www.agendagreenauto.pt/

30/06/2026

🌍 2C2T at the Design Research Society International Conference 2026

2C2T was proudly represented at the Design Research Society (DRS) International Conference 2026, hosted by the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, by researcher Bruna Barth-Bertotto.

At the DRS 2026 PhD Hub, Bruna presented a poster featuring a visual abstract of her PhD research, Meaningful Textiles: Weaving Symbolic Values.

Supervised by Professor Joana Cunha (2C2T), Bernardo Providência (Lab2PT), and Julia Valle Noronha (Aalto University), the research explores the symbolic values embedded in textiles and their role in creating meaningful connections through design.

Alongside the conference programme, Bruna also participated in a Scottish weaving workshop, gaining first-hand experience of local textile traditions and craftsmanship practices, further enriching the intercultural perspective of her research.

👏 Congratulations to Bruna for representing 2C2T and contributing to international discussions on design research, textile heritage, and meaningful innovation.

17/06/2026

🌍 AUTEX 2026 | 2C2T Research at the Forefront of Textile Innovation

The Centre for Textile Science and Technology was proudly represented at the AUTEX 2026 World Textile Conference, one of the most prestigious international forums for textile research and innovation.

Our researchers contributed to scientific discussions across several strategic areas shaping the future of the textile sector, including:

♻️ Sustainability and Circular Economy
🏥 Medical and Healthcare Textiles
📡 Smart and Functional Textiles
🌱 New Natural and Sustainable Fibres
🧩 Advanced Textile Composites
🚀 Innovative Textile Solutions and Emerging Technologies

Through the presentation of scientific works and the exchange of knowledge with the international research community, the 2C2T reinforced its commitment to developing innovative, sustainable, and high-impact solutions for the textile and clothing industry.

Events such as AUTEX provide an essential platform to share research outcomes, foster new collaborations, and contribute to addressing the global challenges faced by the textile sector.

👏 Congratulations to all our researchers who represented 2C2T and the University of Minho with excellence.

Endereço

Universidade Do Minho, Campus De Azurém
Azurém
4800-058

Website

https://2c2t.uminho.pt/

Notificações

Seja o primeiro a receber as novidades e deixe-nos enviar-lhe um email quando 2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology publica notícias e promoções. O seu endereço de email não será utilizado para qualquer outro propósito, e pode cancelar a subscrição a qualquer momento.

Entre Em Contato Com O Negócio

Envie uma mensagem para 2C2T - Centre for Textile Science and Technology:

Atalhos

Quer que o seu negócio seja a primeira Loja De Roupa em Azurém?