On-Demand Design & Manufacturing of Customised 3D Fashion & Textile Products
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: School of Design
Abstract
The UK fashion design and technology is one of the UK's most important creative industries, contributing >£30bn p.a. to the UK economy. Unfortunately, it mainly relies on a linear model of production and consumption, with long, globally distributed supply chains that encourage over-production, resulting in ca. 300,000 tonnes of textile landfill/incineration waste in the UK per year. Globally, the fashion industry is responsible for up to 10% of all GHG emissions, combined with other negative environmental and social impacts. Transition to circular economies provides opportunities for UK producers to increase their competitiveness with greater scope for re-shoring and shorter, more agile supply chains with distributed, digitally linked smart manufacturing operations. This requires greater integration of digitally driven design, smart manufacturing with automation, and other advanced technologies, so that the UK can become a global leader in sustainable, customised textile/fashion design and manufacturing.
To facilitate the transition, LITAC wishes to integrate the production of functional fibres from textile wastes, additional practice-based 3D design and manufacturing capabilities with existing high-quality facilities to provide a new platform for research in innovative and sustainable design and manufacturing operations. This will be carried out collaboratively with our industry network of >2,500 partners (UK micros, SMEs and PLCs) across the textile, fashion and colour sectors, drawn from the AHRC Future Fashion Factory CICP.
The combination of the Institute's existing design and technology research expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and long-established industry partnerships provides an excellent foundation for successful innovation and translation of the new research findings into industrial strategy and commercialisation. Such a model for collaborative cooperation, innovation and translation can be rolled out across all other fields. This should have a significant impact on both the economic, and environmental, performance of the UK's creative and cultural sector.
3D design and automated manufacturing of customised high value textile products from recycled textile materials & garment waste is a strategically important area of development in the industry and for practical implementation of viable circular economies in the UK.
We are applying to Strand One of this call to purchase key equipment to achieve this goal and to enable the following capabilities:
1. Characterise changes in the chemical composition of textile waste materials;
2. Convert thermoplastic synthetic polymers into functional fibres;
3. Digitally design customised 3D fashion products based on individual subjects;
4. Undertake computer-aided 3D weaving of seamless fashion products and other high value textile products (including composites) with complex 3D shapes and geometries.
The new equipment purchases cover: (1) replacement of an out-of-date meltspinning fibre extrusion system, (2) additional state-of-the-art equipment for the 3D Weaving Innovation Centre (WIC) including a multi-shuttle loom and warp creel delivery system; (3) a spectrophotometer, for the analysis of recycled polymer material compositions, including colourants; and (4) a 3D body scanner, to enable digitally design and customised fit to subject garments, that reduce wastage and allow for a fully-digital prototyping process.
To facilitate the transition, LITAC wishes to integrate the production of functional fibres from textile wastes, additional practice-based 3D design and manufacturing capabilities with existing high-quality facilities to provide a new platform for research in innovative and sustainable design and manufacturing operations. This will be carried out collaboratively with our industry network of >2,500 partners (UK micros, SMEs and PLCs) across the textile, fashion and colour sectors, drawn from the AHRC Future Fashion Factory CICP.
The combination of the Institute's existing design and technology research expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and long-established industry partnerships provides an excellent foundation for successful innovation and translation of the new research findings into industrial strategy and commercialisation. Such a model for collaborative cooperation, innovation and translation can be rolled out across all other fields. This should have a significant impact on both the economic, and environmental, performance of the UK's creative and cultural sector.
3D design and automated manufacturing of customised high value textile products from recycled textile materials & garment waste is a strategically important area of development in the industry and for practical implementation of viable circular economies in the UK.
We are applying to Strand One of this call to purchase key equipment to achieve this goal and to enable the following capabilities:
1. Characterise changes in the chemical composition of textile waste materials;
2. Convert thermoplastic synthetic polymers into functional fibres;
3. Digitally design customised 3D fashion products based on individual subjects;
4. Undertake computer-aided 3D weaving of seamless fashion products and other high value textile products (including composites) with complex 3D shapes and geometries.
The new equipment purchases cover: (1) replacement of an out-of-date meltspinning fibre extrusion system, (2) additional state-of-the-art equipment for the 3D Weaving Innovation Centre (WIC) including a multi-shuttle loom and warp creel delivery system; (3) a spectrophotometer, for the analysis of recycled polymer material compositions, including colourants; and (4) a 3D body scanner, to enable digitally design and customised fit to subject garments, that reduce wastage and allow for a fully-digital prototyping process.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Collaboration, Lead Research Organisation)
- National Composites Centre (NCC) (Collaboration)
- Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (Collaboration)
- University of Maine (Collaboration)
- COVENTRY UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) (Collaboration)
- LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST (Collaboration)
- Incheon National University (Collaboration)
- Chungnam National University (Collaboration)
- ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH CENTRE (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Stephen Russell (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Magaji A
(2024)
Advanced one pot photochemical surface modification approach towards graphene materials and their application in dye removal
in Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
Shi, Y., Taylor, L. W., Cheung, V., And Sayem, A.
(2023)
Digital Fashion Innovations: Advances in Design, Simulation, and Industry.
Y, Shi; L., W., Taylor; V., Cheung; And A., S., Sayem
(2023)
Scan2Weave: the zero waste apparel manufacturing process from yarn to 3D woven apparel.
| Description | Nationally & internationally, the fashion and textile industry is under significant economic, environmental and regulatory pressure to shift from traditional, linear models of design & production to circular models that improve resource efficiency and reduce waste & environmental impacts. Customised 3D digital design and on-demand manufacture of garments & high-performance textiles are key creative capabilities needed to reduce over-production and increase opportunities for product customisation. This needs to be coupled with effective methods of polymer recycling for end-of-life garments, to maximise resource efficiency by enabling production of new fibres. Small-scale manufacturing facilities have been installed and are being harnessed in association with existing lab-scale equipment, to creatively evaluate new modes of design and manufacturing consistent with long-term sustainable development. The installation of the new facilities has enabled industry and academic researchers to explore the use of new methods and processing of materials, and is supporting development of new research grants, as well as the delivery of degree and continuing professional education programmes. |
| Exploitation Route | The facilities are supporting collaborative research projects with industry partners (including UK SMEs) to develop new design approaches, prototype products and process capabilities, consistent with the development of viable circular economies for fashion and textile products. There is potential for new capabilities to be scaled, disseminated and embedded by designers and manufacturers in industry. This work will also continue to support training and education (undergraduate/postgraduate and continuing professional education for industry). |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Education Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Retail |
| URL | https://litac.leeds.ac.uk/facilities/ |
| Description | Evaluation of 3D digital design methods coupled with 3D textile manufacturing, methods of material analysis for recycling and extrusion of fibres from recycled feedstocks. The work is informing the development of alternative approaches to designing and producing garments, including capabilities for examining degradation of polymers and textile waste, customised digital design of 3D fashion products, with exact fit to body coupled with 3D woven fashion garment manufacture with zero waste and waste polymer to new fibre production. Additional EU funding has been secured (AUTOLOOP project, see further funding), which will utilise the bicomponent spinning line, and this equipment has also been used as part of the UKFT-led ACT UK programme which was part of the UKRI 'Circular Fashion and Textiles Programme'. SMEs have also been accessing the equipment as part of various R&D programmes (including KTP award) on a fee-for-service basis; confidentiality agreements are in place which preclude the detail being uploaded to researchfish. Over the last full 12-month reporting period the following outcomes/engagements have been recorded: People upskilled 2 Events delivered 22 Event attendees 133 New partnerships/Collabs 7 Leveraged Funds £70,880 More detail on the CresCa funded resources can be found at: https://litac.leeds.ac.uk/facilities/ https://www.pacenterprise.co.uk/consultancy/facilities-and-equipment/ |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | AUTOLOOP -NEXT GENERATION AUTOMATED SORTING, TRACING & CLOSED-LOOP RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES FOR NON-REWEARABLE TEXTILES |
| Amount | € 5,563,185 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 101181624 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 08/2025 |
| End | 09/2029 |
| Description | Autosort for Circular Textiles - ACT UK |
| Amount | £3,985,122 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 10061736 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2023 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | Responsible Research Innovation (RRI) |
| Amount | £480 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2025 |
| Description | UK SME - Innovate UK - Knowledge Transfer Partnership [added in this way to preserve confidentiality] |
| Amount | £207,106 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | LITAC / UoL & Centre for Computational Science & Mathematical Modelling, Coventry University |
| Organisation | Coventry University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I co-led the development of the APEX Award (£200,000) application, integrating 3D scanning into custom garment design for individuals with scoliosis. I provided technical expertise in garment construction and adaptive clothing to ensure the feasibility of digital patterning and production. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Pengpeng Hu at Coventry University provided computational modelling expertise for simulating the impact of garment design on user posture and comfort. He assisted in developing algorithmic solutions for automated digital tailoring based on 3D body scans. |
| Impact | The collaboration between LITAC / UoL and the Centre for Computational Science & Mathematical Modelling at Coventry University has led to the submission of the APEX Award (£200,000) application, titled "Automated Custom Apparel with Aesthetic Enhancements for Individuals with Scoliosis through 3D Scanning (ScolioTailor)." This project aims to develop an AI-driven digital tailoring system that enhances both functionality and aesthetics for individuals with scoliosis. As a result of this partnership, a strong foundation has been established for AI-driven digital tailoring methods, integrating 3D body scanning, computational modelling, and adaptive garment construction. This interdisciplinary collaboration has strengthened research links between fashion technology, computational science, and healthcare, creating opportunities for further funding and innovation. The project has the potential to advance digital pattern-making and automation in adaptive fashion, influencing the future of custom garment production for medical and accessibility-focused applications. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | LITAC / UoL & South Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners |
| Organisation | Chungnam National University |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a Co-Investigator, I contributed to the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) projects by integrating 3D body scanning and smart textiles into the research framework. My role involved shaping project objectives, aligning the research with UK-South Korea CR&D funding priorities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between academic and industry partners between the two countries. I applied 3D scanning and digital manufacturing techniques to enhance garment fit, sensor placement, and textile integration for wearable healthcare and AI-driven apparel production. Additionally, I facilitated cross-disciplinary engagement between fashion technology, AI, medical sciences, and sustainability, strengthening the multi-disciplinary impact of the projects. My efforts in building and maintaining partnerships with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry stakeholders have enhanced knowledge exchange and future research opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Korean universities and industry partners played a vital role in the UK-South Korea CR&D collaborations by contributing medical expertise, AI-driven innovation, advanced textile engineering, and industrial scalability. Chungnam National University provided clinical validation and biomechanics research for elderly fall prevention in the SAFE project. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) supported textile engineering and wearable sensor integration, and The Ocean Goods contributed to manufacturing and commercial scaling. In the FAST-AI project, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Incheon National University led AI modelling and smart textile fabrication, while Mcell supported commercialisation and textile automation. Their collective contributions strengthened the multi-disciplinary impact of smart textiles and AI integration, positioning both projects for future funding resubmission and expanded research collaboration under UK-South Korea CR&D 2025. |
| Impact | The collaboration with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners has resulted in two major UK- South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) funding applications in June 2023 and May 2024, integrating 3D body scanning, smart textiles, AI-driven health monitoring, and sustainable manufacturing. The Smart Textile to Protect the Elderly from Fall Emergencies (SAFE) project (£1.2M, UK- South Korea digital health CRD), in partnership with Chungnam National University, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), and The Ocean Goods, focused on AI-integrated smart textiles for elderly fall prevention. The Fabricating and Integrating Smart Textiles with AI (FAST-AI) project (£2M, UK- South Korea CR&D 2024) with KAIST, Mcell, and Incheon National University aimed to develop AI-powered textile manufacturing for customised intelligent garments. Though both proposals were unsuccessful, they established a strong interdisciplinary framework spanning smart textiles, AI, healthcare innovation, and sustainable manufacturing. These partnerships will be refined and resubmitted under the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) 2025 Programme, incorporating enhanced clinical validation, industry collaborations, and commercialisation strategies to maximise impact. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | LITAC / UoL & South Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners |
| Organisation | Incheon National University |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a Co-Investigator, I contributed to the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) projects by integrating 3D body scanning and smart textiles into the research framework. My role involved shaping project objectives, aligning the research with UK-South Korea CR&D funding priorities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between academic and industry partners between the two countries. I applied 3D scanning and digital manufacturing techniques to enhance garment fit, sensor placement, and textile integration for wearable healthcare and AI-driven apparel production. Additionally, I facilitated cross-disciplinary engagement between fashion technology, AI, medical sciences, and sustainability, strengthening the multi-disciplinary impact of the projects. My efforts in building and maintaining partnerships with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry stakeholders have enhanced knowledge exchange and future research opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Korean universities and industry partners played a vital role in the UK-South Korea CR&D collaborations by contributing medical expertise, AI-driven innovation, advanced textile engineering, and industrial scalability. Chungnam National University provided clinical validation and biomechanics research for elderly fall prevention in the SAFE project. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) supported textile engineering and wearable sensor integration, and The Ocean Goods contributed to manufacturing and commercial scaling. In the FAST-AI project, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Incheon National University led AI modelling and smart textile fabrication, while Mcell supported commercialisation and textile automation. Their collective contributions strengthened the multi-disciplinary impact of smart textiles and AI integration, positioning both projects for future funding resubmission and expanded research collaboration under UK-South Korea CR&D 2025. |
| Impact | The collaboration with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners has resulted in two major UK- South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) funding applications in June 2023 and May 2024, integrating 3D body scanning, smart textiles, AI-driven health monitoring, and sustainable manufacturing. The Smart Textile to Protect the Elderly from Fall Emergencies (SAFE) project (£1.2M, UK- South Korea digital health CRD), in partnership with Chungnam National University, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), and The Ocean Goods, focused on AI-integrated smart textiles for elderly fall prevention. The Fabricating and Integrating Smart Textiles with AI (FAST-AI) project (£2M, UK- South Korea CR&D 2024) with KAIST, Mcell, and Incheon National University aimed to develop AI-powered textile manufacturing for customised intelligent garments. Though both proposals were unsuccessful, they established a strong interdisciplinary framework spanning smart textiles, AI, healthcare innovation, and sustainable manufacturing. These partnerships will be refined and resubmitted under the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) 2025 Programme, incorporating enhanced clinical validation, industry collaborations, and commercialisation strategies to maximise impact. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | LITAC / UoL & South Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners |
| Organisation | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a Co-Investigator, I contributed to the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) projects by integrating 3D body scanning and smart textiles into the research framework. My role involved shaping project objectives, aligning the research with UK-South Korea CR&D funding priorities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between academic and industry partners between the two countries. I applied 3D scanning and digital manufacturing techniques to enhance garment fit, sensor placement, and textile integration for wearable healthcare and AI-driven apparel production. Additionally, I facilitated cross-disciplinary engagement between fashion technology, AI, medical sciences, and sustainability, strengthening the multi-disciplinary impact of the projects. My efforts in building and maintaining partnerships with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry stakeholders have enhanced knowledge exchange and future research opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Korean universities and industry partners played a vital role in the UK-South Korea CR&D collaborations by contributing medical expertise, AI-driven innovation, advanced textile engineering, and industrial scalability. Chungnam National University provided clinical validation and biomechanics research for elderly fall prevention in the SAFE project. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) supported textile engineering and wearable sensor integration, and The Ocean Goods contributed to manufacturing and commercial scaling. In the FAST-AI project, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Incheon National University led AI modelling and smart textile fabrication, while Mcell supported commercialisation and textile automation. Their collective contributions strengthened the multi-disciplinary impact of smart textiles and AI integration, positioning both projects for future funding resubmission and expanded research collaboration under UK-South Korea CR&D 2025. |
| Impact | The collaboration with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners has resulted in two major UK- South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) funding applications in June 2023 and May 2024, integrating 3D body scanning, smart textiles, AI-driven health monitoring, and sustainable manufacturing. The Smart Textile to Protect the Elderly from Fall Emergencies (SAFE) project (£1.2M, UK- South Korea digital health CRD), in partnership with Chungnam National University, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), and The Ocean Goods, focused on AI-integrated smart textiles for elderly fall prevention. The Fabricating and Integrating Smart Textiles with AI (FAST-AI) project (£2M, UK- South Korea CR&D 2024) with KAIST, Mcell, and Incheon National University aimed to develop AI-powered textile manufacturing for customised intelligent garments. Though both proposals were unsuccessful, they established a strong interdisciplinary framework spanning smart textiles, AI, healthcare innovation, and sustainable manufacturing. These partnerships will be refined and resubmitted under the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) 2025 Programme, incorporating enhanced clinical validation, industry collaborations, and commercialisation strategies to maximise impact. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | LITAC / UoL & South Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners |
| Organisation | Korea Institute of Industrial Technology |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a Co-Investigator, I contributed to the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) projects by integrating 3D body scanning and smart textiles into the research framework. My role involved shaping project objectives, aligning the research with UK-South Korea CR&D funding priorities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between academic and industry partners between the two countries. I applied 3D scanning and digital manufacturing techniques to enhance garment fit, sensor placement, and textile integration for wearable healthcare and AI-driven apparel production. Additionally, I facilitated cross-disciplinary engagement between fashion technology, AI, medical sciences, and sustainability, strengthening the multi-disciplinary impact of the projects. My efforts in building and maintaining partnerships with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry stakeholders have enhanced knowledge exchange and future research opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Korean universities and industry partners played a vital role in the UK-South Korea CR&D collaborations by contributing medical expertise, AI-driven innovation, advanced textile engineering, and industrial scalability. Chungnam National University provided clinical validation and biomechanics research for elderly fall prevention in the SAFE project. Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) supported textile engineering and wearable sensor integration, and The Ocean Goods contributed to manufacturing and commercial scaling. In the FAST-AI project, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Incheon National University led AI modelling and smart textile fabrication, while Mcell supported commercialisation and textile automation. Their collective contributions strengthened the multi-disciplinary impact of smart textiles and AI integration, positioning both projects for future funding resubmission and expanded research collaboration under UK-South Korea CR&D 2025. |
| Impact | The collaboration with Korean universities, research institutions, and industry partners has resulted in two major UK- South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) funding applications in June 2023 and May 2024, integrating 3D body scanning, smart textiles, AI-driven health monitoring, and sustainable manufacturing. The Smart Textile to Protect the Elderly from Fall Emergencies (SAFE) project (£1.2M, UK- South Korea digital health CRD), in partnership with Chungnam National University, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), and The Ocean Goods, focused on AI-integrated smart textiles for elderly fall prevention. The Fabricating and Integrating Smart Textiles with AI (FAST-AI) project (£2M, UK- South Korea CR&D 2024) with KAIST, Mcell, and Incheon National University aimed to develop AI-powered textile manufacturing for customised intelligent garments. Though both proposals were unsuccessful, they established a strong interdisciplinary framework spanning smart textiles, AI, healthcare innovation, and sustainable manufacturing. These partnerships will be refined and resubmitted under the UK-South Korea Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) 2025 Programme, incorporating enhanced clinical validation, industry collaborations, and commercialisation strategies to maximise impact. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | LITAC / UoL, School of Medicine, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust |
| Organisation | Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I led the integration of 3D scanning in smart textiles for health monitoring applications and developed the project proposal for UKRI Cross-Research Council Responsive Mode Pilot Scheme Round 2 (£200K-£1.2M). I provided expertise in garment design and digital manufacturing to support early disease diagnosis solutions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | School of Medicine at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provide medical research input, ensuring the feasibility of applying smart textiles in chronic disease detection. Additionally, they support validating health data applications for use in healthcare monitoring systems. |
| Impact | The collaboration with the School of Medicine and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has led to the submission of the UKRI Cross-Research Council Responsive Mode Pilot Round 2 Scheme (£200K-£1.2M) application, titled "Ageing Chronic Disease Early Diagnosis by Smart Textile Home Solution (ACESO)." This interdisciplinary project integrates fashion technology, textile engineering, digital health, and medical research to develop sensor-integrated smart textiles for chronic disease monitoring. By leveraging 3D body scanning, the project aims to enhance body measurement precision, garment fit optimisation, and sensor placement, improving the usability and effectiveness of wearable healthcare solutions. This collaboration strengthens cross-disciplinary engagement and lays the foundation for future funding, industrial partnerships, and advancements in personalised healthcare and smart medical textiles. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | LITAC / UoL, School of Medicine, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Department | Leeds School of Medicine |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I led the integration of 3D scanning in smart textiles for health monitoring applications and developed the project proposal for UKRI Cross-Research Council Responsive Mode Pilot Scheme Round 2 (£200K-£1.2M). I provided expertise in garment design and digital manufacturing to support early disease diagnosis solutions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | School of Medicine at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provide medical research input, ensuring the feasibility of applying smart textiles in chronic disease detection. Additionally, they support validating health data applications for use in healthcare monitoring systems. |
| Impact | The collaboration with the School of Medicine and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has led to the submission of the UKRI Cross-Research Council Responsive Mode Pilot Round 2 Scheme (£200K-£1.2M) application, titled "Ageing Chronic Disease Early Diagnosis by Smart Textile Home Solution (ACESO)." This interdisciplinary project integrates fashion technology, textile engineering, digital health, and medical research to develop sensor-integrated smart textiles for chronic disease monitoring. By leveraging 3D body scanning, the project aims to enhance body measurement precision, garment fit optimisation, and sensor placement, improving the usability and effectiveness of wearable healthcare solutions. This collaboration strengthens cross-disciplinary engagement and lays the foundation for future funding, industrial partnerships, and advancements in personalised healthcare and smart medical textiles. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | New Collaboration - LITAC / UoL and The National Composites Centre |
| Organisation | National Composites Centre (NCC) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Exploring synergies between the LITAC-based 3D WIC, which incorporates the equipment provided through the CresCa award, and leading to further manufacturing capabilities towards near zero tolerance capabilities for composite textile manufacturing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | NCC bring their previous in-house and industrial partnership projects or a similiar nature. This rsearch builds on previous outcomes and learning. |
| Impact | Colloboration still active, next in person meeting to take place in April 2024. Outcomes to report in future periods. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | New Collaboration - LITAC-3D WIC / UoL and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Sheffield |
| Organisation | Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Exploring synergies between the LITAC-based 3D WIC, which incorporates the equipment provided through the CresCa award, and leading to further manufacturing capabilities for warp control in complex engineering shapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | AMRC bring their expertise and past learning in carbon fibre manufacturing capabilities and testing of composite weaves. |
| Impact | Collaboration at an early stage, outcomes to be reported in future periods. Discussions are on-going around a 'researcher in residence' scheme application for Dr. Lindsey Waterton-Taylor, if successful this should start in mid-2024. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | New collaboration - LITAC / UoL and the University of Maine |
| Organisation | University of Maine |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 3D WIC brings expert knowledge of 3D weave structure engineering and techologies towards their manufacturing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Through their Advanced Structures and Composite Centre the University of Maine have the greatest number of 3D printing capabilities at large scale globally. They also being significant knowledge in the field of 3D weaving and manufacturing of deployable structures. |
| Impact | Collaboration at an early stage, outcomes to be reported in a future period. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | 3D Body Scanning - educational activities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The provision of this piece of equipment has facilitated inter-departmental research collaboration, for example, the machine was utilised in an application for a PhD funding application, aiming for interdisciplinary PhD study involving the School of Design, Engineering and Music departments. Additionally plans exist for its integration into MA programmes for the next academic year and new educational activity is planned specifically targeting garment development to ensure student cohorts are well aligned with industry need. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | 3D Body Scanning - industrial collaboration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | There has been significant interest in the 3D Body Scanner resulting in a number of industry-facing facility tours, for example LITAC has hosted external entities such as mobile sizing companies and individual product developers who wish to explore bespoke fitting / co-development opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Additional engagement/collaboration activity, use of CresCa facilitites |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This is an entry to capture additional activity which cannot be shown elsewhere in this return due to the presence of confidentiality agreements, covers the period through to December 2024. Additional leveraged funding = £459,662 (excludes the AUTOLOOP funding which is shown elsewhere) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Back to Baselines presentation, Munich (21-Mar-2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A presentation around Net Zero transition for the fashion and textile sector, LITAC industrial network, ethos and how to get involved. Content includes outcomes from the Future Fashion Factory award and planned activity for Back to Baselines, specifically on how to engage via the Sustainable Transition Fund. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.performancedays.com/ |
| Description | British Textile Biennial in collaboration with Tim Smith Photography, LITAC-3D WIC and Queens Street Mills |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Developing a mixed-media, multi-collaboration towards visual communication artefacts, film, music, photography showcasing the developments of 3D weaving through woven tubular configurations and scales: fashioned tunics to bicycle frames. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | British Textile Machinery Association Members Roundtable event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | We presented on the topic of "Opportunities for Textile Machinery Manufacturers" at the "British Textile Machinery Association Members Roundtable event". This included details of the key project outcomes and opportunities for machinery manufacturers to develop solutions to mitigate fragmented fibres/microplastic pollution. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | CICP Demonstrators - Show and Tell, Cardiff (07-Dec-2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a Creative Industries workshop event, sharing information on progress with the Fashion Demonstrator programme to that date. Deliverable 1a had already been published (launched 30th June 2023 at the FFF Showcase event) and work progressing for Deliverable 1b. Presentation at this event by myself (Rainton, S.), Anja Connor-Crabb, UoL, and Amy Hulme, UAL. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | IoM3 Composite Group Regional Roadshow - Composite Showcase, University of Leeds, LITAC-3D WIC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Showcasing research within the LITAC-3DWIC concerning alternative product possibilities within the composites sector, providing x4 rotational group tours of the facilities, the latest in 3D weaving technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Melt Spinning experiments for yarn & recycling applications |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | **this can not go into the collaboration portion of the response due to the confidential nature of the research** SME member of the FFF ecosystem using equipment to advance their technical knowledge |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Re-imagining working class social pathways to success through sculptural forms, informed by the media of a local artist and curator, 3D weaving large scale forms: informed by sociology and social policy theory.. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Developing collaboration between Artist and Curator (potential collaboration with the National Graphene Institute, UoM), School of Sociology and Social Policy, UoL and LITAC-3D WIC towards artwork, 3d weaving, and publication in the field of: re-imagining working class social pathways to success. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | School visit and mill partnership development with Abraham Moons & Sons Ltd |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Facilitating an initial tour of LITAC-3D WIC and textile testing lab for future partnership collaborations and supporting reciprocal tours for the BSc level 1 UG's going forward. A further meeting with additional Abraham Moons & Sons Ltd colleagues to tour the LITAC-3d WIC, and the future of 3D weaving to be confirmed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Spectrophotometer - educational activities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As well as being valuable in terms of industry engagement this piece of equipment has significant educational impact for LITAC / UoL. To date in-depth training has been provided for PhD students, research fellows and technical staff expanding the capacity and capability of the LITAC / UoL team to respond to industrial enquiries. It has also been possible to expand industry-facing post-graduate programmes to include equipment usage, better equiping graduates to meet industrial expectations on graduation. Specifically this has included: the MSc programme on polymers, colorants and fine chemicals; use on a number of MSc projects; and new programme MSc Colour. This activity has also sparked further collaborative discussions with SMEs and other potential research partners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Spectrophotometer - participation in industrial experiments |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | **this reporting has been provided under engagement rather than collaboration due to commercial confidentiality reasons** As well as being in demand from several research groups internal to the University of Leeds there have also been several external enquiries from industrial members of the LITAC / FFF network. As an example one such enquiry was from a company specialising in the performance of electricity networks and their cooling properties for textile related applications, another enquiry was concerned with material characterisation of ZnO pigments . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | UKRI tour to view new facilities provided by the CresCa award (31-Oct-2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This activity was an invite only event for UKRI and selected industry members of the FFF ecosystem who had already been using the equipment at that point. The programme of activity included visits to the new Body Scanning facility (academic lead Dr. Hye-Won Lim), the 3D weaving studio / 3D WIC (academic lead Dr. Lindsey Waterton-Taylor) with input from industrial partner Weffan Ltd, the Chemistry Lab to view the Spectrophotometer (academic lead Dr. Natalia Sergeeva), Spinning & Weaving Lab (academic lead Prof. Muhammad Tausif), and the Non-Wovens Lab to view the new filament/fibre extrusion & thermal recycling capabilities (academic leads Prof. Stephen Russell and Dr. Muhammad Tausif). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visit from the Advanced Structures and Composites Centre, University of Maine (18&19-Jan-2024) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event was a in-person project scoping visit from the University of Maine to the 3D WIC facilities at LITAC / University of Leeds. Further work is on-going to develop joint funding application(s) to explore alternative use of deployables in the repatriation of instruments between the United States and the United Kingdom. Initial targeted funder will be UKRI UK-US funding. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://composites.umaine.edu/ |