Textiles are so ubiquitous, yet their functions have not changed much since the dawn of civilization. Additionally, textiles have received widespread attention as a versatile platform in recent years for future wearable electronics applications. However, they are still far from the requirements of modern-day electronics.
The global textile industry is also often cited as the second most polluting industry after oil, responsible for ~8-10% of global CO2 emission, ~20% of water pollution, and ~35% of microplastic pollution. Therefore, radically new approaches are needed at both materials and manufacturing level to transform textiles into highly innovative, sustainable, and intelligent clothing.
Centre for Print Research, a distinctive centre of research excellence based at the University of the West of England, recently organized a seminar titled ‘Future Textiles Conference 2023’ to address different new approaches for materials and manufacturing level to transform textiles into highly innovative clothing.
The conference was held at University of West of England (UWE) Bristol, the UK from 28 February – 2 March 2023. The first Future Textiles Conference is one of the key outcomes of £7.7M of funding from Research England for Expanding Excellence in England awarded to the Centre for Print Research.
This prestigious conference was chaired by Dr. Nazmul Karim, Associate Professor, Centre for Print Research (CFPR), UWE Bristol and Dr. Shaila Afroj, who was the Co-organizer of the conference and (CFPR) hosted the conference.
“The Future Textiles Conference provided us the opportunity for collaborative discussions to propose strategies for next generation clothing which is smart and sustainable. We got exciting research about new materials, digital manufacturing and sustainability for future textiles,” said Dr. Nazmul Karim.
Dr Shaila Afroj said, “This conference brought all the exciting functionalities into your everyday clothing, yet care very much about the beautiful earth we live in. It explored new collaboration and brought excited new innovation.”
This conference provided a forum for collaborative discussions to address such key challenges at both academic and industry level to develop future clothing for the next generation and facilitate the rapid transition of such textiles from lab to market. The conference aimed to provide a platform to discuss and exchange ideas on the latest research and developments in the field of textiles. The conference featured keynote speeches, plenary sessions, and technical paper presentations on topics related to new materials for textiles, e-textiles, digital manufacturing, sustainable textile manufacturing, smart functional textiles, and protective medical clothing.
The conference had varied speakers from across the industry. Keynote speakers include Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov FRS from the National University of Singapore (NUS), who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010 for isolating graphene at The University of Manchester in 2004. He is an expert in condensed matter physics, mesoscopic physics, and nanotechnology. Every year since 2014, Kostya Novoselov has been included in the list of the most highly cited researchers in the world.
Other keynote speakers include Prof Stephen Russel and Prof Chris Carr from Leeds Institute for Textiles and Colour (LITAC), The university of Leeds, Prof Stephen Eichhorn from the University of Bristol, Prof Zijian Zheng from the Institute of Textile and Clothing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, James Baker CEng FIET FRSA, CEO- Graphene@manchester, the University of Manchester, Professor Melik Demirel from Penn State University, USA, Anne Marr from University Arts London (UAL), and Dr Jun Chen from University of California, Los Angeles(UCLA), Gulshun Ara Munni, the Business Governance Manager, H&M, Bangladesh Office.
Professor Konstantin Novoselov FRS from the National University of Singapore (NUS) gave the inaugural lecture at the conference, and Day-1 featured two sessions: Session-1 on New Materials for Future Textile and Session-2 on Wearable Electronic Textiles (E-Textiles). During Session-1, Professor Stephen Eichhorn from the University of Bristol presented a keynote speech on sustainable cellulose fibers for textiles and composites, while Professor Zijan Zheng from Hong Kong Polytechnic University discussed conductive textiles for wearable electronics.
For Session-2, Professor Steve Beeby from the University of Southampton presented a keynote on electronic textile technologies, and Dr. Jun Chen from the University of California discussed smart textiles for biomonitoring, therapy, and energy generation.
On Day-2, Session-3 focused on Technical Textile or Functional Textile, featuring keynote speakers Professor Stephen Russell from the University of Leeds and Professor Chris Carr, also from the University of Leeds, discussing nonwoven fabrics, recycling and upcycling technologies to minimize the environmental impact of textiles. Professor Prasad Pothuri from the University of Manchester also presented a keynote on high-value manufacturing with textiles.
Session-4 was on Industry, with keynote speakers James Baker, the CEO-Graphene@Manchester, from the University of Manchester, discussing the importance of graphene and 2D materials in developing sustainable textiles for the future. Gulshun Ara Munni, a Business Governance Manager with 18 years of experience in the textile industry, presented a keynote on the sustainable commitments made by Bangladesh’s RMG sector and how they were being implemented in the industry.
During Day 3, Session 5 of the First International Conference on Future Textiles, several keynote speakers presented on topics related to sustainable textile manufacturing. Prof. Jane Harris from the London College of Fashion discussed the value of historical archives and design methods in informing more sustainable material futures. Prof. Kate Goldsworthy from the Chelsea College of Arts discussed circular and sustainable design, while Prof. Parikshit Goewami from the University of Huddersfield talked about product innovation with textiles.
During Session 6, Anne Marr from Central Saint Martins presented on building inclusive communities and creating materials for change, and Prof. Melik Demirel from Pennsylvania State University discussed the story of Squitex, a bio-enabled textile.
Several Bangladeshi researchers also presented their work at the conference. Most. Setara Begum, Doctoral Visiting Researcher, Aalto University, Finland and Assistant Professor, BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology presented a poster on achieving flame-retardance performance on Jute and Jute-Cotton fabrics.
She chose jute because it is a cash crop in Bangladesh and has a high limiting oxygen index, making it easier to achieve flame retardance than other cellulosic fibers. Md. Mohaddesh Hosen from Bangladesh University of Textile presented on the development of wearable machine-knitted fabric for long term electrocardiography monitoring using conductive yarn. Farida Pervin from Edinburgh Napier University presented on the development and characterization of a biodegradable fiber from microalgae.
Overall, the conference brought together experts from different fields to discuss the challenges and potentials of developing sustainable, functional, and smart textiles for the future. The conference emphasized the importance of sustainability, digital manufacturing, and the use of new materials and technologies in developing the textiles of the future.
