Environmentally conscious fashion through responsible coloration techniques applied to sustainable fabrics : colouring outside the lines

Colour for fashion and textiles is an immediately obvious aesthetic concern, both for designer and consumer. The environmental consequences in the creation and application of colour and the implications of the processes used in aiming to produce future sustainable fashion and textiles are less obvious and often overlooked. The purpose of the research described in this thesis was to explore reducing the environmental impact of coloured fashion and textiles through how they are designed and produced, questioning if coloured fashion and textiles can be sustainable? The research was conducted at the design/technology interface, carried out in collaboration with Lenzing, an Austrian fibre manufacturer. The newly developed interdisciplinary methodology provides a design driven framework from which to explore the relationship between fibre, colour and garment to identify the challenges and opportunities in producing coloured fashion & textiles. The creativity of design thinking is underpinned with the technical inquiry of coloration technology. The outcomes of the research provide innovative sustainability solutions for designing and producing coloured fashion and textiles. The thesis establishes the current state of knowledge for the designing and producing of coloured fashion and textiles with reduced environmental impact, exploring both natural and synthetic sources of colour. A gap in knowledge relating to the sustainable coloration of cellulose fibres is highlighted resulting in the research direction being specifically focused on the regenerated cellulose fibre lyocell. The research outcomes provide two key approaches to colour for fashion and textiles, each based within the biological lifecycle, these being; sustainable and responsible coloration. For sustainable coloration where the biological life cycle is uninterrupted, a ‘cyclical model’ is developed, specifically focused on the utilization of a natural dye extracted from a by-product of lyocell fibre manufacture, this model provides a method for sustainable coloration that is of a commercial scale and technical standard. For responsible coloration, where the biological life cycle is interrupted through the introduction of additional chemical’s for pre and post coloration stages as well as the use of petrochemical based synthetic dyes during coloration a carefully selected set of reactive dyes is used that provide minimal environmental impact, the preparation and finishing stages are explored and a method of best practice developed that minimises chemical, energy and water usage of pre-creative coloration stages. Within the responsible coloration research the technical inquiry identifies the use of bi-functional dyes, the chemistry of these dyes inspires the creative inquiry and research outcome of ‘bi-surface fabrics’, screen print and digital print methods are merged with technical processes and auxiliary chemical’s minimized or removed to create a new approach to coloration that reduces environmental impact and provides an innovative bi-surface fabric. Through creating two surfaces within a single piece of fabric, the designer essentially can design a second life at the initial design stage for the garment the fabric is used to construct, ultimately extending the lifetime of the garments use phase within its lifetime to optimize the embedded energy from production stages and reduce waste from premature disposal. The thesis presented involves traditional argument encompassing elements of both technology and design. As part of the design research process, a physical collection of samples and prototype garments was also produced, and these are referenced and documented photographically within the thesis

Environmentally conscious fashion through responsible coloration techniques applied to sustainable fabrics : colouring outside the lines

Colour for fashion and textiles is an immediately obvious aesthetic concern, both for designer and consumer. The environmental consequences in the creation and application of colour and the implications of the processes used in aiming to produce future sustainable fashion and textiles are less obvious and often overlooked. The purpose of the research described in this thesis was to explore reducing the environmental impact of coloured fashion and textiles through how they are designed and produced, questioning if coloured fashion and textiles can be sustainable? The research was conducted at the design/technology interface, carried out in collaboration with Lenzing, an Austrian fibre manufacturer. The newly developed interdisciplinary methodology provides a design driven framework from which to explore the relationship between fibre, colour and garment to identify the challenges and opportunities in producing coloured fashion & textiles. The creativity of design thinking is underpinned with the technical inquiry of coloration technology. The outcomes of the research provide innovative sustainability solutions for designing and producing coloured fashion and textiles. The thesis establishes the current state of knowledge for the designing and producing of coloured fashion and textiles with reduced environmental impact, exploring both natural and synthetic sources of colour. A gap in knowledge relating to the sustainable coloration of cellulose fibres is highlighted resulting in the research direction being specifically focused on the regenerated cellulose fibre lyocell. The research outcomes provide two key approaches to colour for fashion and textiles, each based within the biological lifecycle, these being; sustainable and responsible coloration. For sustainable coloration where the biological life cycle is uninterrupted, a ‘cyclical model’ is developed, specifically focused on the utilization of a natural dye extracted from a by-product of lyocell fibre manufacture, this model provides a method for sustainable coloration that is of a commercial scale and technical standard. For responsible coloration, where the biological life cycle is interrupted through the introduction of additional chemical’s for pre and post coloration stages as well as the use of petrochemical based synthetic dyes during coloration a carefully selected set of reactive dyes is used that provide minimal environmental impact, the preparation and finishing stages are explored and a method of best practice developed that minimises chemical, energy and water usage of pre-creative coloration stages. Within the responsible coloration research the technical inquiry identifies the use of bi-functional dyes, the chemistry of these dyes inspires the creative inquiry and research outcome of ‘bi-surface fabrics’, screen print and digital print methods are merged with technical processes and auxiliary chemical’s minimized or removed to create a new approach to coloration that reduces environmental impact and provides an innovative bi-surface fabric. Through creating two surfaces within a single piece of fabric, the designer essentially can design a second life at the initial design stage for the garment the fabric is used to construct, ultimately extending the lifetime of the garments use phase within its lifetime to optimize the embedded energy from production stages and reduce waste from premature disposal. The thesis presented involves traditional argument encompassing elements of both technology and design. As part of the design research process, a physical collection of samples and prototype garments was also produced, and these are referenced and documented photographically within the thesis

Collaborative Circular Design: Incorporating Life Cycle Thinking into an Interdisciplinary Design Process

To evolve fashion and textiles within the circular economy an interdisciplinary approach encompassing a range of life cycle perspectives is required, facilitating this collaboration requires new thinking and tools. The research presented in this paper was explored through a European Union Horizon 2020 funded project, Trash 2 Cash (T2C), where collaborative ‘life cycle thinking’ (LCT) tools were developed to integrate multiple expert perspectives within the design process. The research positioned material scientists, industry stakeholders, consumer behaviour and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) researchers into the heart of an iterative design process, tools were developed between and tested through consortium workshops over a 21-month period. Several key findings proved the value in the use of these interdisciplinary LCT methods, alongside new insights into barriers and opportunities for future circular material developments. Designing tools for collaborative research and the sharing of knowledge in this context was instrumental in helping to promote social exchange and the building of communities within the project and beyond. This work provides an important basis for understanding how to bring the theory of circularity into a networked industry practice

Resonant DC link converters and their use in rail traction applications

Conventional 'hard switching' converters suffer from significant switching loss due to thesimultaneous imposition of high values of current and voltage on the devices during commutation.Resonant converters offer a solution to this problem. A review of resonant circuit topologies ispresented, which includes a summary of the interference problems which may occur when usingpower converters in the rail traction environment. Particular attention is given to the ResonantDC Link Inverter (RDCLI) which shows a great deal of pronuse using currently availabledevices.The frequency domain simulation of RDCLIs is discussed as a means of rapidly evaluatingcircuit behaviour, especially in relation to modulation strategies. A novel modulation strategy isproposed for Resonant DC Link Inverters, based on a procedure known as Simulated Annealingwhich allows complex harmonic manipulations such as han-nonic minimisation, to be performed.This is despite the fact that RDCLIs are constrained to use Discrete Pulse Modulation wherebyswitch commutations are restricted to specific moments in time. The modulation algorithms wereverified by use of a low-power test rig and the results obtained are compared against theoreticalvalues. Details of the hardware implementation are also included.A single-phase pulse-converter input stage is described which may be incorporated into theResonant DC Link Inverter topology. This input stage also benefits from soft-sVVItching andallows four-quadrant operation at any desired power factor. A modulation scheme based onSiMulated Annealing is proposed for the pulse-converter, to achieve hannomc control whilst alsosynchronising with the supply wavefon-n. Practical results are presented and compared with thoseobtained by simulation and calculation.Finally the design of Resonant DC Link Converters is discussed and reconunendations made forthe choice of resonant components based on the minimisation of overall losses. Comparisons aremade between hard-switching and soft-switching converters in terms of loss and harmonicperformance, in an attempt to quantify the benefits which may be obtained by the application ofsoft-switching

Design anthropology skills development: Designing interdisciplinary research for provocation, pedagogy and policymaking

In 2020 the Royal College of Art (RCA) / Future Fashion Factory (FFF) research group received AHRC funding for training in Ethnographic and Design Anthropology methods. Principal Investigator Susan Postlethwaite, Research Fellow Dawn Ellams and Research Associate Kat Thiel, are defining a new approach for practice based fashion research, putting designers at the centre of industry facing investigation, interrogating parallel fields of design research, including Design Thinking, Textile Thinking, Transition Design and definitions of Fashion Theory. The aim for the skills development training is in supporting the design and use of pre and post-FFF micro-project qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The micro-projects are intended to provide solutions to manufacturing industry problems through Industry 4.0 and 5.0 economic theory lenses. Using a Design Anthropology approach will allow the group to examine the affect and effect of design research on both ECRs and stakeholders, iterate through qualitative data gathering, whilst questioning and understanding the value of designing research projects for impact. The goal is the development of transdisciplinary narratives for policy change, focused on the future of fashion manufacturing, particularly in a UK setting. At the time of publishing, two FFF micro-projects were completed: Twelve Oaks Systems, which has identified the technical and creative opportunities for 3D weave manufacturing for fashion, and GameStyle/ Lockwood Publishing which has developed an IP Framework and recommendations for the required value chain for fashion designers to engage with Gaming. These projects provide initial opportunities for the application of Design Anthropology methods and tools. Feedback from academics involved in the delivery of the training will help the FFF/ RCA research team develop our approach for future micro-projects as they are concluded. The skills development programme was designed and developed in 3 phases. Phase 1 - a series of lectures delivered by academics with expertise in Anthropology, Transition Design, ethnographies and systems thinking; Phase 2 - a series of 3 workshops to further understand the development and application of other funded project methodologies and Phase 3 - dissemination, consisting of an online publication, a podcast and a digital symposium hosted by FFF and RCA as part of the annual showcase in 2022. For this publication the findings are disseminated through an Executive Summary and 3 essays that focus on policymaking, framework design and pedagogy

Identifying and analysing UK fashion micro-clusters: Building regional supply chains that foster sustainable approaches and circular economies

The UK Fashion and Textiles industry contributed almost £20 billion to the UK economy in 2020 and remains a major UK employer with 500,000 jobs supported across design, manufacturing and retail. The covid-19 pandemic and post Brexit landscape exposed the UK industries reliance on long, global supply chains as well as restricting access to skilled workers. In parallel to these events the sector faces further challenges to address sustainability and circular economy agendas and transition to net zero by 2050. The UK sector is dominated by fashion design and manufacture Micro and SME businesses, though more economically vulnerable than larger businesses, they have demonstrated the ability to be more agile in response to external factors causing supply chain disruptions (such as Brexit and Covid), as well as adapt to more sustainable practices. However, accessing UK supply chain networks, at an appropriate scale and quality to support the growth of these businesses is an increasing challenge. This paper outlines findings from qualitative research evaluating the benefits to UK based micro and SME fashion businesses from being co-located within regional micro-clusters. It looks at the regional activities being undertaken by fashion firms working within micro-clusters and the challenges they face in the post Brexit & Covid landscape, as well as specific sustainability challenges. It finds that regional fashion micro-clusters act as localised networks developing and providing access to skills and services for businesses based within them. Recommendations for programme and policy initiatives to support the development of cluster & cross cluster communities to enable wider access to these developing UK supply chain networks are suggested. These include, investment in fashion micro-clusters as innovation hubs as well as supporting the expansion of businesses operating within them into New Markets

Applied DDMI: A White Paper on how Design-Driven Material Innovation Methodology was applied in the Trash-2-Cash Project

This report summarises the work of a consortium of 18 partners; designers, design researchers and facilitators, manufacturers, material researchers and technical experts, during the EU Funded Trash-2-Cash project. The applied methodology and related recommendations are the main results captured in this report with thanks to contributions from Aalto University, Material ConneXion® Italia, RISE and The University of the Arts London

A review of the socio-economic advantages of textile recycling

The textile/apparel industry is of great importance to the economy in terms of trade, employment, investment and revenue all over the world. This sector is however characterised by substantial losses, due to production excesses on the one hand, and the “throw away” culture on the other. This state of affairs suggests that textile recycling is needed. Apart from the environmental and ecological advantages which can be brought about by the re-use and recycling of textiles, there are many benefits of a socio-economicnature. This paper analyses current trends on textile recycling, the barriers impeding greater recycling, and outlines the socio-economic advantages of moving towards a circular economy. Some examples of on-going initiatives are discussed, together with some of the measures that may be used to further reduce the current waste deriving from the apparel sector