TecMinho is part of the Erasmus+ project partnership "OptimTex - Software Tools for Textile Creatives". The OptimTex project is focused on improving knowledge and skills in the field of software applications for the textile sector with higher education students, as well as their employability within textile companies, providing the appropriate training tools for their profession.

The gap between demand and the supply of qualified digital staff is widening globally and that is why the future European strategy aims to support digitisation in all areas, including education and training. The textile industry is strongly demanding digitally sprinter textile staff, such as clothing designers or knitting machine programmers.

The project consortium reflects a very balanced distribution of activities and responsibilities by partners from European textile regions. The coordination is in charge of a textile and leather research institute in Romania (INCDTP), four universities (University of Gent, University of Maribor, TU Iasi, University of Western Bohemia) and a technology training/transfer centre (TecMinho), from 5 countries with great relevance to the textile industry in Europe: Belgium, Tchequia, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia.

Over the course of 3 years, the consortium will create:

- an online course with 5 modules (software for weaving design, knitting, clothing, embroidered textiles, including experience design software) in 6 languages;
- a module for the application of software solutions within textile companies;
- an e-learning tool with a practical approach to theory, based on the educational content designed;
- an online glossary of current textile industry terms;
- multimedia content for a quick and direct approach to textile creatives;
- intensive study programmes for 36 young creatives in the textile field taking place in several of the partner countries of this project;
- multiplier events.

The activities aim to guide the knowledge and skills of young textile professionals and higher education students for digitisation (design of electronic textiles through software applications).