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Sustainability is Ethics!
Professor
and Head of Colour Research Lab
Department of Textile Engineering
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro Pakistan
Professional Engineer
and Programs Evaluator
Fellow
and Charted Textile Technologist
Licentiate (2006)
and Corporate Member (2005)
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
IMC Institute UAE Accredited by
Professional Biography
Prof. Awais Khatri is an accomplished textile professional and transformational leader with twenty-two years of diverse experience in academia, research, industry collaboration, and policy development. His career is defined by a visionary approach to sustainable textile manufacturing and a proven track record of driving innovation, academic excellence, and industry-oriented solutions. He is a Professional Engineer recognized by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and holds prestigious international titles, including Chartered Textile Technologist and Fellow of The Textile Institute UK, Licentiate of The Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) UK and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt of The Six Sigma Council USA. He earned his Ph.D. in Textiles from RMIT University Australia (2011), a Professional Diploma in Coloration from SDC UK (2006), and a B.E. in Textile Engineering from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Pakistan (2003). Currently, he serves as a Professor of Textile Engineering and Editor of the Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (MURJET), a Web-of-Science-indexed impact factor journal.
Academic Leadership and Educational Excellence
In his academic leadership roles, Prof. Khatri has been instrumental in uplifting Pakistan's textile education and research standards. As a national curriculum development expert and policy advisor, he has contributed to the national curriculum development and implementation of Outcome-Based Education systems particularly for the field of textiles, and accreditation of various higher education institutes in collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, PEC and Sindh HEC. He has served as a Master Trainer and Program Evaluator for national engineering and technology accreditation programs, playing a key role in aligning academic structures with industry needs and international quality standards. As a convener in various accreditation visits of universities and head of academic and non-academic committees at MUET, he has driven institutional growth, quality enhancement, and continuous improvement. His editorial leadership at MURJET has also enhanced the journal's impact and global recognition, providing a platform for groundbreaking engineering research.
Leadership in Research, Innovation and Industry Collaboration
Prof. Khatri has consistently demonstrated strong leadership in R&D initiatives, focusing on sustainable manufacturing, innovative processing techniques, and eco-friendly product development. With over PKR 40 million in research funding from various national and international bodies such as HEC Pakistan, USAID funded US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water and WWF-Pakistan, he has spearheaded projects that bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application. As a Principal Investigator of multiple impactful funded projects, he has led teams to develop innovative technologies and solutions for the textile industry. His pioneering development of commercial plant-based natural indigo dye for the denim industry and multifunctional textile finishes for healthcare and technical applications have garnered national recognition and potential for industry adoption. Collaborating with leading textile manufacturers such as Archroma, Soorty, Artistic Milliners, Gul Ahmed and Popular Fabrics, he has established himself as a trusted advisor and strategic partner for sustainability-focused textile innovation. Additionally, as a research leader, Prof. Khatri has supervised numerous graduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. research projects focused on sustainable textile processes, functional finishing, and smart materials development. His mentorship has produced plentiful high-quality research publications and innovative solutions, contributing to scientific advancements and industry practices.
Strategic Contributions to Sustainable Development
Prof. Khatri's commitment to sustainability-driven research and development is reflected in his alignment with SDG-12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). His pioneering work in natural colorant development, nanotechnology-based textile finishing, wastewater recycling, and circular economy practices has positioned him as a thought leader in green manufacturing. As a technical consultant and policy advisor, he has participated in development of cleaner production policies for regulatory bodies like Sindh Environmental Protection Agency and guided industry practices toward eco-friendly solutions.
Recognitions and Awards for Leadership Excellence
Prof. Khatri's leadership and contributions have been recognized nationally and internationally, including:
• Fellow of The Textile Institute UK – for outstanding contributions to textile science and sustainability.
• DICE Textile Innovation Award – for the development of a natural indigo dye product from indigenous Indigofera tinctoria.
• Multiple research and consultancy grants – for delivering impactful solutions to textile manufacturers and policymakers.
• Silver Medal for Academic Excellence (MUET) – for securing first position in B.E. Textile Engineering.
Vision for Future Leadership
Looking ahead, Prof. Khatri aims to continue his leadership journey in textile research, academic excellence, and industry innovation, with a strong focus on digital transformation, circular economy practices, and international collaborations.
Existing Projects
Exploring markets and setting up the value chain for indigenous natural indigo dye of Sindh province
in collaboration with TiKA (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency)
Development of Indigo Dye-house Wastewater Treatment Simulator and Its Recovery
Ph.D. Supervision in collaboration with Soorty Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
Development of Framework for Environmental Compliance to Global Standards for Pakistan's Textile Industry
Masters Supervision in collaboration with Soorty Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
Improving sustainability of the Denim Garment Washing Process
Bachelors Supervision in collaboration with Artistic Milliners
Development of Durable Microencapsulated Fragrance Finish for Textiles
Bachelors Supervision in collaboration with Archroma Pakistan Ltd.
Featured Project
Development of commercial natural indigo dyes for dyeing cotton textile from indigenous indigo plants
Brief: Archroma Pakistan Ltd. collaborated with Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in 2016 for making the natural indigo dye from the indigenous indigofera tinctoria plant to be utilized particularly in Pakistan’s denim manufacturing industry. In collaboration with HEC Pakistan and WWF-Pakistan, a swift technology of making natural indigo dye from the plants that is suitable for denim manufacturing industry was successfully developed and transferred to Archroma Pakistan Ltd. in 2019.
Recently Completed Funded Projects
Coloration of Electrospun Nanofibrous mats
Brief: This work was pioneered in 2012 at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Pakistan, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Zeeshan Khatri during his PhD study at Shinshu University Japan back then, as an aesthetic importance of nanofibres when used in functional apparels and home textiles. However, afterward this particular research area matured to the extent of other technical applications and commercial interests, and more development is progressive. HEC Pakistan supported this project by awarding an NRPU fund that was completed in 2023. The project ended up with development of eight such technologies which are published in various Clarivate Q1 and Q2 category (impact factor) journals such as Cellulose, Coloration Technology and Journal of the Textile Institute, and produced four postgraduate theses. Further advancements in this area are in progress.
Know more
Development of graphene coated multifunctional nonwoven materials
Brief: Dr. Khatri was a co-co-principal investigator in a HEC’s NRPU project on developing functional textiles using graphene material for various applications in energy and wastewater treatment sectors. Couple of impact factor research papers have also been published in that area such as in the Materials Chemistry and Physics. The NRPU project has been successfully completed in 2023.
Recent Publication
Digital ink-jet printing of regenerated cellulose nanofibrous mats with reactive inks
Abstract: The versatility of nanofibres enables them to be used for various technological applications such as filtration, biomedicine and healthcare, composites, protective and functional textiles. Recently, in addition to the functional properties of electrospun nanofibrous mats, their aesthetic properties have been explored. Herein, attempts have been made to develop digital ink-jet printing of regenerated cellulose nanofibrous mats with reactive inks. First, a cellulose acetate polymer was created to fabricate electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibrous mats, which were then converted into regenerated cellulose nanofibrous mats through deacetylation. Next, the cellulose nanofibrous mats were treated with an alkaline solution then coloured with four (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) commercially available reactive inks by a digital ink-jet printing method using a piezoelectric digital ink-jet printer. Various parameters were investigated, including the optimal concentration of the pretreatment agents, fixation temperature and time, colour yield and the absorbency of the electrospun nanofibrous mats. The digital ink-jet printed cellulose nanofibrous mats exhibited excellent colour yield and colour fastness properties. Morphological analysis through scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis through Fourier Transform–infrared were also carried out.
Featured Publication
A Sol-Gel Finishing of Bamboo Fabric with Nanoparticles for water repellency, soil release and UV Resistant Characteritics
Abstract: This research work reports on the preparation of a durable hydrophobic bamboo knitted fabric with multifunctional properties using sol–gel coating method. The titania nanoparticles (TNPs) and silica nanoparticles (SNPs) composite sols were made using citric acid as cross-linking agent. The bamboo knitted fabric was functionalized by the dip-pad-dry-pad-cure method. Different ratios of TNPs and SNPs were made. All process and solution parameters of sol–gel coating method were optimized to achieve the desired fabric properties. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, EDS and SEM analysis were carried out to characterize the untreated and sol–gel coated bamboo knitted fabrics. The hydrophobicity, soil release, UV resistance and wash-durability of bamboo knitted fabrics functionalized with NPs (nanoparticles) were measured. The results revealed that the sol–gel coating of TNPs and SNPs on bamboo fabric was durable up to five industrial washes. Moreover, air permeability and fabric handle did not change after sol–gel finishing indicating that the fabric inherent comfort remained unaffected.
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