Meet The Team

The WTiN Smart Textiles intelligence service is provided and powered by a core team of textiles experts. They form a small part of the wider WTiN content team, which produces in-depth analysis across virtually all areas of the textile industry.

Your Smart Textiles team is:

Robabeh (Zohreh) Gharaei

Zohreh is a textile engineer and she currently is leading the materials innovation team at WTiN. Her primary research currently concerns the identification and analysis of innovations in polymers, fibres and fabrics, with new areas of functionality in healthcare and hygiene, sportswear, protective wear, e-textiles, automotive and other high-value markets. Zohreh has an MSc in ‘advanced textiles and performance clothing’ and a PhD in ‘fibre science and technology’ from the University of Leeds, UK and was a postdoctoral fellow researcher working on sustainable fibre-reinforced composites for sporting goods manufacturers.

rgharaei@wtin.com
+44 (0)113 360 9934

Anna Borkowicz

Anna is currently leading the market intelligence team at WTiN, delivering in-depth analysis for multiple technical textiles markets. Her primary focus area is the sports textiles sector. She holds a BA in International Business Management from Newcastle University, UK and an MA in Chinese and Business from University of Leeds, UK. Anna has a keen interest in Chinese culture and has participated in an exchange programme at East China Normal University in Shanghai. She is fluent in Mandarin and Polish.

aborkowicz@wtin.com
+44 (0)113 819 8160

Shreya Sonalker

Shreya is a market intelligence analyst and delivers in-depth market intelligence for the technical textiles sector. Shreya has graduated from the University of Bradford, UK, with a BSc in International Business Management. She has a particular interest in global economics and international trade. She is fluent in Hindi and Marathi.

ssonalker@wtin.com
Tel: +44 (0)113 360 9604

Laura Solomon

Laura is a Senior Materials Innovation Analyst at WTIN. Her background is textile engineering, with three years of experience working in the fashion and textiles industry and another three years of experience carrying out textile science research and product development, within both R&D and manufacturing facilities. Laura has an MSc in Advanced Textiles from the University of Leeds and her research interests focus on new innovations and technologies happening within the textile industry.

lsolomon@wtin.com
+44 (0)113 360 6609

Fiona Haran

Fiona has nine years’ experience in publishing, having previously worked in copywriting. She holds a BA degree in English with Journalism from the University of Huddersfield, and a MA in Magazine Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire, UK. As the editor of the WTiN Nonwovens, Technical Textiles and Knitting & Weaving channels, Fiona is well-placed to bring you up-to-date news on the latest developments in the performance textiles field, together with insightful comment and opinion on the wider issues affecting the market.

fharan@wtin.com
+44(0)113 360 9894

Andy Rhodes

Andy has over three years’ experience in journalism and multimedia content production and holds a Sports Journalism BA (Hons) degree from the University of Huddersfield. Having previously worked in the radio, TV and newspaper industries, and also as a journalist in the manufacturing segment, Andy is now the assistant editor of Nonwovens Report International, Future Textile and Knitting International at WTiN, contributing to the magazines and online insight channels.

arhodes@wtin.com
+44(0)113 360 7685

Jessica Owen

Jessica is a staff writer at WTiN, helping to source and produce content primarily for the technical textiles, nonwovens and knitting and weaving channels. Jessica graduated from the University of Leeds, UK, in 2017 with a BSc in Physical Geography and she also has an MSc in Journalism from Leeds Beckett University. She has previously written features for two Leeds-based online magazines.

jowen@wtin.com
+44 (0)113 360 6664