Greener and smarter clothing to address climate change: an approach to learning from nature and utilising cutting-edge technologies

The textile industry's CO2 emission exceeds international aviation and shipping [1]. According to the latest research by the Textiles Circularity Centre (TCC) funded by UKRI, the total carbon footprint of clothing in use in or passing through the UK is 43Mt CO2 [2]. We buy 60% more clothing than we did 20 years ago [3]. In 2021 consumers in the UK consumed clothing (including footwear) worth £68bn [4].

Many factors contribute to fast fashion and the throw-away culture: e.g., consumerism and lack of knowledge of textiles; natural fibres used in clothing become shorter and weaker; raw material and fibre twist are reduced, textile processing is simplified, and labour time is minimised...

The TCC has proposed shredding fashion waste and disposed textiles and re-spinning them to produce a recycled material. However, this will not totally solve the problem: complex blending of materials will make it more complicated for waste classification and future recycling.

This research will tackle the problem from a different angle, i.e., learning from nature while utilising cutting-edge technologies.

Greener and smarter clothing research will care for people and the planet by reducing unsustainable materials and manufacturing, and make clothing lasting. Reducing textile demands will significantly reduce CO2 emission to effectively tackle climate change.