Saniyat Islam

Dr Saniyat Islam

Senior Lecturer, Fashion Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Innovation

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Profile photo of Dr Saniyat Islam. Saniyat is standing indoors in front of a darkened wall. Saniyat is looking at the camera and smiling.

Contact details

DSC | School of Fashion and Textiles


RMIT Circular Economy Hub (CEHUB)

Centre for Materials Innovation and Future Fashion (CMIFF)

RMIT SDG Researchers Network

Member DSC CHEAN


Emailsaniyat.islam@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39925 9455


Campus: Brunswick


Programs

More information

Profile photo of Dr Saniyat Islam. Saniyat is standing indoors in front of a darkened wall. Saniyat is looking at the camera and smiling.

Contact details

DSC | School of Fashion and Textiles


RMIT Circular Economy Hub (CEHUB)

Centre for Materials Innovation and Future Fashion (CMIFF)

RMIT SDG Researchers Network

Member DSC CHEAN


Emailsaniyat.islam@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39925 9455


Campus: Brunswick


Programs

More information

Dr Saniyat Islam is a senior lecturer in Fashion Enterprise and Sustainable Innovation at the School of Fashion and Textiles. His key research expertise is in Textile Materials and Polymer Science.

The research record of accomplishment ranges from delivering and conducting interdisciplinary projects in automotive textiles, medical textiles, Safety garments and thermal and comfort properties of textile and fibrous materials. His current research focuses on Circular Business models, Blockchain innovation for Fashion Enterprises, sustainable textile materials, and supply-chain traceability of fashion systems.

Overview

Saniyat’s contributions to the discipline of fashion enterprise occur through the interlacing of the Engagement, Education and Research domains. He firmly believes that imaginative and rigorous teaching is at the core of transformative student experience. MC213: Master of Fashion (Entrepreneurship), more colloquially referred to as ‘MoFE’, was the only Master course in the world to offer graduate students a place to undertake research practices with a high degree of competency and learn enterprising capabilities to create and build their own fashion ventures with confidence. Saniyat uses the best teaching knowledge and digital technology, contemporary theory and practice, and in addition, he utilises his scholarly engagement with professional bodies and industry, to provide transformative experiences for his students.

His teaching practices are shaped by insights and evidence from his students, industry and peer feedback and he takes pride in his teaching practices which are grounded in creative thinking, connected to the textile industry, fashion enterprise and the broader community. He encourages students to be ambitious and passionate, skilled at putting theory into practice with real-life scenarios from the industry. His distinctive pedagogical approach of connected pathways to the fashion and textile industry enables them to be effective communicators with cross-cultural skills ready to collaborate anywhere within the fashion industry. Saniyat is proud of his contribution to student-centred teaching practices and agile ways of working. He has been instrumental in making the Master of Fashion Entrepreneurship one of the top ten programs of its kind globally (BoF).

As Belonging Lead in the School of Fashion and Textiles, he strives to create an inclusive cultural and social environment that exceeds obligations and equips students for life and work in a diverse global environment. He combines scholarly rigour, belonging excellence and industry practice to support his students as they explore new perspectives and opportunities while applying themselves to the realities of the world as it is today. His students continuously question ethical and sustainable practices within fashion enterprises. They are engaged in finding innovative approaches to resolve issues, making them ready for life and work.

Saniyat’s textile materials and fashion systems expertise enables him to bring industry and enterprise connections to classroom settings. He focuses on building stronger connections between research knowledge, curriculum design, teaching and assessment strategies. He uses RMIT’s global reach and knowledge to enrich the student experience by organising impactful study tours. His partnerships and scholarly investments reflect his global outlook and determination in deepening the impact of RMIT’s expertise and comparative advantage, translating these into research income and outputs. Invested in the cultivation of long-term partnerships with global fashion corporations in the fashion and textile supply chain alliances, he reaches into networks of small and medium enterprises, to global collaborations supporting workforce development through his contribution as an educator and a researcher and shapes the future of fashion industry.

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Industry experience

Dr Saniyat has successfully secured and completed contract research projects based on industry needs and turned my own research into licenced applications with industry partners. Building on his PhD research, in 2015 he applied for post-doctoral funding and was successful in achieving an industry grant, project titled “Application of hemp and hemp-blends as wound bandages utilising biopolymers”, CI, $31,250, (Cat2), 2015, Project Ref: 0200313632. This also led to an IP License Deed, re TCI project Application of hemp and hemp-blends as wound bandages using biopolymers (Ref: 0000016036). As a result of the successful completion of the project, he was invited to present at the first Australian Industrial Hemp Conference, 27 February-2 March 2018 (AgriFutures Australia publication, no. 18/017; AgriFutures Australia project, no. PRJ-010776) which involved more than 250 stakeholders from industry and academia.

In 2015, Saniyat was instrumental in an industry project sponsored by Metro Trains Melbourne, which investigated the compliance of safety vests in the railway industry. This project resulted in a publication titled, 'Degradation of fluorescent high-visibility colours used in safety garments for the Australian railway industry' in Journal of Safety Research, Elsevier. The investigation highlighted a fundamental flaw in the standard adopted by the Railway industry and argued the relevance of the adopted standard. This work has significant implications outside the rail industry for any manufacturer making personnel protective equipment. The research highlights the issues surrounding the longevity and appropriateness of safety colours for the general populous (e.g., rail, road, and building workers; and cyclists). Following this publication, he was invited to be a member of the Standards Committee of safety garments run by the Australian Fashion Council in 2016 and serving to date.

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Research

His key research expertise is in Textile Materials and Polymer Science. The research record of accomplishment ranges from delivering and conducting interdisciplinary projects in automotive textiles, medical textiles, Safety garments and thermal and comfort properties of textile and fibrous materials. His current research focuses on Circular Business models, Blockchain innovation for Fashion Enterprises, sustainable textile materials, and supply-chain traceability of fashion systems.

Research keywords

Sustainability, Circular Economy, Textile materials, Sustainable Innovation in Fashion and Fextiles, Sustainable Business Models, Medical Application of Textiles, Automotive Textiles

Research output summary

20

Publications

5

Projects

1

Awards

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Supervisor interest areas

  • Sustainability
  • Circular Economy
  • Textile materials
  • Sustainable Innovation in fashion and textiles
  • Sustainable Business Models
  • Medical application of textiles
  • Automotive textiles

Supervisor projects

Masters Project

  • Bio-photonic textile materials for therapeutic application of wound healing

PhD Projects

  • Felt stitches-stirring a sensorial creative textile practice
  • Textile and Clothing Waste Management for Local Circular Economy
  • Traceability and transparency in Sustainable Fashion: Studies on significance and loopholes and challenges in the existing traceability models in the textile industry.
  • What is the potential of Circular Economy in Fashion &Textiles industry of Bangladesh?

Feature publications

Waste management strategies in fashion and textiles industry: Challenges are in governance, materials culture and design-centric

Waste Management in the Fashion and Textile Industries, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. 275-293 ISBN: 9780128187586

Islam, S. (2021).

Sustainable raw materials: 50 shades of sustainability

Sustainable Technologies for Fashion and Textiles, Woodhead Publishing Limited, United Kingdom, pp. 343-357 ISBN: 9780081028674 

Islam, S. (2019).

The Circular Economy of Textiles: Perspective of Manufacturing Countries

2nd Online Symposium on Circular Economy and Sustainability, Alexandroupolis, Greece 14-16 July, 2021

Chowdhury, S., Islam, S., Van Amber, R (2021).

Key publications by year

Book Chapters

  • Islam, S. 2021, 'Waste management strategies in fashion and textiles industry: Challenges are in governance, materials culture and design-centric', in Waste Management in the Fashion and Textile Industries, Elsevier, United Kingdom, pp. 275-293 ISBN: 9780128187586
 

Journal Articles

  • Mohaddes, F. Islam, S. Padhye, R. and Wang, L. 2021, 'Durable and Environmentally Friendly Flame-Retardant Finish on Wool via Graft Copolymerization of Vinyl Phosphonic Acid', in Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry, AMG Transcend Association, Romania, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 3647-3663 ISSN: 2069-5837

 

Keynote and Plenary Conference Papers 

  • Chowdhury, S., Islam, S., Van Amber, R. “The Circular Economy of Textiles: Perspective of Manufacturing Countries” at the 2nd Online Symposium on Circular Economy and Sustainability, Alexandroupolis, Greece 14-16 July, 2021.
  • Laksith, M., Islam, S. “A theoretical model to provide traceability to ensure circularity in the value chain activities of ready-made garments manufacturing” at the 2nd Online Symposium on Circular Economy and Sustainability, Alexandroupolis, Greece 14-16 July 2021.

Book Chapters

  • Islam, S. 2019, 'Sustainable raw materials: 50 shades of sustainability', in Sustainable Technologies for Fashion and Textiles, Woodhead Publishing Limited, United Kingdom, pp. 343-357 ISBN: 9780081028674

Keynote and Plenary Conference Papers 

  • Saniyat Islam, ‘Investigation of wash behaviour of hemp-based denim substrate,’ Australian Industrial Hemp Conference, 27 February - 2 March 2018, AgriFutures Australia publication, no. 18/017; AgriFutures Australia project, no. PRJ-010776

Journal Articles

  • Shaid, A. Wang, L. Islam, S. Cai, J. and Padhye, R. 2016, 'Preparation of aerogel-eicosane microparticles for thermoregulatory coating on textile', in Applied Thermal Engineering, Elsevier, United Kingdom, vol. 107, pp. 602-611 ISSN: 1359-4311
  • Vijayan, A. Islam, S. Jones, M. Padhye, R. and Arnold, L. 2016, 'Degradation of fluorescent high-visibility colors used in safety garments for the Australian railway industry', in Journal of Safety Research, Elsevier, Melbourne Australia, vol. 56, no. February, pp. 1-7 ISSN: 0022-4375

Journal Articles

  • Islam, S. Arnold, L. and Padhye, R. 2014, 'Comparison and characterisation of regenerated chitosan from 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and chitosan from crab shells', in BioMed Research International, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, United States, pp. 1-7 ISSN: 2314-6133
  • Mohaddes, F. Islam, S. Shanks, R. Fergusson, M. Padhye, R. and Wang, L. 2014, 'Modification and evaluation of thermal properties of melamine-formaldehyde/n-eicosane microcapsules for thermo-regulation applications', in Applied Thermal Engineering, Pergamon, United Kingdom, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 11-15 ISSN: 1359-4311
  • Mohaddes, F. Islam, S. Shanks, R. Wang, L. and Padhye, R. 2014, 'Comparative study between DSC and two complementary performance evaluation methods for PCM-treated textiles', in Advanced Materials Research, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, vol. 941-944, pp. 1350-1354 ISSN: 1022-6680

 

Industry Publications

  • SCP-Sleep Academy Project Milestone Report Authors: Saniyat Islam, Lijing Wang, Rajiv Padhye, 2014

Journal Articles

  • Islam, S. Arnold, L. and Padhye, R. 2013, 'Application of chitosan on wool-viscose nonwoven for wound dressing', in Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy, American Scientific Publishers, United States, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 439-443 ISSN: 1556-6560
  • Ratnapandian, S. Islam, S. Wang, L. Fergusson, S. and Padhye, R. 2013, 'Colouration of cotton by combining natural colourants and bio-polysaccharide', in Journal of the Textile Institute, Taylor and Francis, United Kingdom, vol. 104, no. 12, pp. 1269-1276 ISSN: 0040-5000

Book Chapters

  • Islam, S. Troynikov, O. and Padhye, R. 2012, 'New automotive fabrics with anti-odour and antimicrobial properties', in Sustainable Automotive Technologies 2012, Springer, United States, pp. 81-89 ISBN: 9783642241444

 

Journal Articles

  • Islam, S. Cheung, K. Wang, L. Arnold, L. and Padhye, R. 2012, 'Application of crab shell chitosan on nonwoven wool', in Advanced Materials Research, Trans Tech Publications Ltd., Switzerland, vol. 472-475, pp. 82-88 ISSN: 1022-6680
  • Islam, S. Arnold, L. and Padhye, R. 2012, 'Wound dressing utilising nonwoven wool matrix', in Advanced Material Research, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, vol. 535-537, pp. 1534-1541 ISSN: 1022-6680
  • Islam, S. Arnold, L. and Padhye, R. 2012, 'Ionic Liquids - recomposing the past and writing the future', in Smartex Research Journal, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 72-79 ISSN: 2090-6358

Journal Articles

  • Islam, S. JADHAV, A. Fang, J. Arnold, L. Wang, L. Padhye, R. Wang, X. and Lin, T. 2011, 'Surface deposition of chitosan on wool substrate by electrospraying', in Advanced Materials Research, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, vol. 331, pp. 165-170 ISSN: 1022-6680
 

Conference Publications

  • Islam, S. Ratnapandian, S. Padhye, R. and Wang, L. 2011, 'Sustainable colouration of cotton fabrics utilising chitosan and natural dyes', in The 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Sustainable Energy & Environment Technologies (APSCEET 2011): program & abstracts, Eric Hu (ed.), Centre for Energy Technology, the University of Adelaide, Australia, Adelaide Australia, pp. 147-154

Conference Publications

  • Islam, S. Arnold, L. and Padhye, R. 2010, 'Medical Textiles - An Innovative Response for Sustainable Healthcare', in Fashion: Sustainability and Creativity Conference Proceedings 2010, -- (ed.), Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan, pp. 409-417
  • Kanesalingam, S. Padhye, R. and Islam, S. 2010, 'Application of phase change materials in textiles and apparel', in Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Textile and Apparel ICTA-2010, Armin and Jahan Corporation, Dhaka, Bangladesh, pp. 56-59

Journal Articles

  • Nayak, R. Padhye, R. Arnold, L. and Islam, S. 2009, 'Production of novel surfaces by electro-spinning', in Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis, University of Sibiu Romania, Sibiu, Romania, vol. 58, no. --, pp. 128-138 ISSN: 1583-7149

 

Conference Publications

  • Islam, S. Troynikov, O. and Padhye, R. 2009, 'Automotive textiles - fashion, well-being and future perspectives', in Fashion and Well-Being? - The 11th Annual Conference for the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI), Elizabeth Rouse (ed.), London College of Fashion, London, UK, pp. 550-560
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Feature projects

Reactivating Australian-Indonesian fashion and textile ecosystems through online engagement

6 November 2020

Key projects by year

  • Reactivating Australian-Indonesian fashion and textile ecosystems through online engagement (06 November 2020)

  • Application of hemp and hemp-blends as wound bandages utilizing biopolymers (01 February 2015)

  • To research the thermal performance of garments treated with HeiQ's product "ADAPTIVE" (13 April 2014)

  • Australian Sleep Academy and the development of "peaceful sleep" bedding products (25 February 2013)

  • Australian Wool Education Trust - Application of Nanotechnology for Wool & Wool Blends in Medical Textiles (01 January 2009)
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Awards

RMIT University Higher Degree by Research Publication Excellence Award (College of Design and Social Context, School of Fashion and Textiles)

Mr Saniyat Islam investigated wound-dressing developed from wool and wool blends using different techniques such as pad-dry-cure, electrospraying and dissolution – regeneration. Bio-active and absorbent wound-dressing materials were engineered utilising biopolymer and nanoparticle additives. Morphological, structural, chemical characteristics of the fabricated dressing materials were determined.

Award date: 2012

Recipients: Saniyat Islam

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Grants

  • Reactivating Australian-Indonesian fashion and textile ecosystems through online engagement, 06 November 2020
  • Application of hemp and hemp-blends as wound bandages utilizing biopolymers, 01 February 2015
  • To research the thermal performance of garments treated with HeiQ's product "ADAPTIVE", 13 April 2014
  • Australian Sleep Academy and the development of "peaceful sleep" bedding products, 25 February 2013
  • Australian Wool Education Trust - Application of Nanotechnology for Wool & Wool Blends in Medical Textiles, 01 January 2009
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Public and media engagements

2020

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.