DESIGN students will attend a two-day conference in Bradford this week designed to entice new talent into the textile industry.

The Making It in Textiles conference is being sponsored by the Campaign for Wool - launched in Bradford by its patron the Prince of Wales in 2010 - along with two City livery companies The Clothworkers’ Company and The Weavers’ Company.

Delegates will include students nominated by tutors at 20 UK educational institutions.The event at the Midland hotel will provide careers advice to final-year textile degree students tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday and incorporate visits to successful local mills.

Organisers say it aims to forge stronger links between textiles courses and the UK textile manufacturing industry.

They identified a lack of resources for students wishing to pursue a career in textiles and have brought together speakers from various parts of the industry, including designers, processors and manufacturers.

Speakers will explain to students the importance of understanding the skills required and how to apply what they have learnt in their studies to the workplace.The conference aims to support emerging talent by providing students with expert advice on how the industry works.

Recent figures revealed that turnover within the UK wool industry has risen by more than two-thirds to around £270 million, with sales of wool clothing, including menswear, womenswear, knitwear, active wear and work wear, now worth £1.2 billion.

The Campaign for Wool and the livery companies say they want to support those seeking a career within a booming industry.

Speakers include James Laxton, managing director of Laxton Speciality Fibres in Guiseley, who set up Laxtons Specialist Yarns in 2010 - the first new commercial wool worsted manufacturing plant to be launched in the UK for 25 years and brought manufacturing back from Italy, Spain and France.

Gary Eastwood, managing director of Keighley-based Pennine Weavers which produces cloth for several leading brands, will cover modern weaving technology.

Victoria Stapleton, founder and creative director of fashion retailer Brora, is the keynote speaker at the conference dinner.

She said: "I am greatly looking forward to talking to the final year textile students at this fabulous conference. It is an opportunity to tell them a real life story of sourcing textiles and manufacturing from all corners of the UK and making that concept into a thriving and successful high end retail brand.

"Supporting made in Britain has been an extremely rewarding career path for myself and Brora and I hope to impart some of my experiences to the talent of the next generation."