In this episode of the Global Challenge Podcast we look at resilience in the fashion and textile industry, particularly in relation to recent events such as Brexit and the pandemic. We will look at how these events have shaken the industry but also how they have led to adaptation and innovation for the sector.

We hear from a variety of perspectives from the industry such as a fashion designer and manufacturer from Maes London, an Operations Manager for Abraham Moons one of the last remaining vertical woollen mills in Great Britain, and academic perspectives from the University of Leeds and London College of Fashion.

Cotton is a natural fibre but the journey that this fibre takes from the humble cotton plant to your everyday t-shirt is quite unnatural. In this episode, we take a deep dive into why cotton could potentially be the most environmentally damaging fibre that is polluting our oceans on an enormous scale.

This episode is hosted by Professor Richard Blackburn (Professor of Sustainable Materials at the University of Leeds) he is joined by:

• Professor Paul Kay (Professor of Water Science at the University of Leeds)
• Olivia Skilbeck (PhD Researcher, University of Leeds)

What factors influence what clothes we decide to wear frequently, keep at the back of our wardrobes forever or send to the charity shop? Is developing an emotional attachment to our clothes the key to driving more sustainable consumption within the fashion industry?

In this podcast we discuss the durability of our clothes emotionally and physically and how this could be the key to cultivating a greener wardrobe.

This episode is hosted by Dr Mark Sumner, lecturer in sustainable fashion at the University of Leeds. He is joined by: 

Cat Salvage- Strategic Technical Manager at WRAP

Vicki Swain - Quality Lead for Primark

Kate Morris - PhD Researcher University of Leeds

In this episode, we explore colour forecasting in the metaverse. We first establish what we

mean by the metaverse and colour forecasting before exploring the opportunities

and the potential disruptions that colour forecasting in the metaverse may have

on fashion trends, both in the physical and virtual world.

In this episode we look at the role of textiles in healthcare, and how textiles can make an impact on patients, healthcare providers, and industry. More specifically, we explore how textiles are employed in the clinic for the treatment of chronic wounds, and the journey that researchers and clinicians take together to translate an idea for wound management from the lab into the clinic.

This episode is hosted by Dr Giuseppe Tronci Associate Professor in Healthcare Materials at the University of Leeds. He is joined by:

• Begonya Alcacer-Pitarch - clinical Lecturer and healthcare professional at Chapel Allerton Hospital Leeds
• Dr Graeme Howling - Senior Innovation Manager Medipex Limited
• Dr. Charles Brooker - Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Leeds.

Related links/articles:

1. A long-lasting guided bone regeneration membrane from sequentially functionalised photoactive atelocollagen
2. Hydrolytic Degradability, Cell Tolerance and On-Demand Antibacterial Effect of Electrospun Photodynamically Active Fibres
3. Protease-sensitive atelocollagen hydrogels promote healing in a diabetic wound model

Following on from our first episode where we discovered what microfibres are and their potential harm to our environment. In this episode we hear about the solutions that the textile industry and academia are trying to put in place to reduce microfibres shedding into our land, waterways and even the human body!

In this episode we are joined by Professor Muhammed Tausif (Associate Professor in sustainable manufacturing)

Jamie Hunt - Pressio

Paul Servin - Xeros

Alma Palacios - PhD Researcher University of Leeds

Publications referenced:

1. “Fragmented fibre (including microplastic) pollution from textiles”, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00405167.2022.2066913
2. “Fragmented fiber pollution from common textile materials and structures during laundry”, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00405175221090971
3. “Impact of conventional and modified ring-spun yarn structures on the generation and release of fragmented fibers (microfibers) during abrasive wear and laundering” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00405175221127709?af=R&ai=1gvoi&mi=3ricys

Listen to the very first instalment of the Global Challenges Podcast, hosted by the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour. In this episode, we will be looking at the global environmental issue of microfibers.

Our first episode is hosted by Dr Mark Sumner(lecturer in sustainable fashion at the University of Leeds) with guests:

Kelly Sheridan (Head of Research The Microfibre Consortium)   

Mark Taylor (Lecturer in sportswear and sustainable fashion at the University of Leeds)

Alice Hazelhurst PhD Researcher at the University of Leeds)