From Waste to Wardrobe: Circular Bio-Textile Manufacturing for Sustainable Fashion

The global textile industry faces major environmental challenges associated with textile waste generation, microplastic pollution, excessive water consumption, and the widespread use of petroleum-derived synthetic fibres and toxic dyes. Transitioning toward a circular bioeconomy requires the development of sustainable textile manufacturing technologies capable of converting waste materials into high-value textile products through environmentally responsible processing routes. This PhD project will focus on the development of closed-loop circular bio-textile manufacturing systems using waste-derived bacterial cellulose, regenerated cellulose fibres, and natural dye technologies for sustainable fashion applications.

The research will build upon internationally recognised expertise in bacterial cellulose production, wet fibre spinning, sustainable fibre manufacturing, and circular textile technologies. A major objective of the project is to develop processes for converting mixed textile, agricultural, and municipal waste streams into bacterial cellulose through microbial fermentation routes. The bacterial cellulose produced will subsequently be processed into regenerated fibres and textile structures using environmentally benign wet fibre spinning technologies.

The project will investigate how waste-derived cellulose feedstocks can be transformed into high-performance fibres with tailored morphology, mechanical properties, and textile functionality. A further key aspect of the project will involve the development of sustainable coloration technologies using natural dyes such as curcumin and plant-derived pigments integrated directly into the fibre spinning process through dope dyeing and microsphere-assisted encapsulation techniques. These approaches aim to eliminate conventional water-intensive and chemically hazardous textile dyeing processes while improving dye retention and colour durability in regenerated fibres.

The PhD research will combine experimental work in textile waste valorisation, wet fibre spinning, natural dye integration, and advanced fibre characterisation. The student will gain expertise in fibre processing and analysis using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR spectroscopy, rheology, tensile testing, thermal analysis, and optical microscopy to establish structure–property relationships in sustainable textile fibres. The PhD project will be hosted within the Loughborough University, one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities with an outstanding international reputation for engineering, materials science, manufacturing, and design innovation.

The research will be based within the Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, which is recognised globally for excellence in advanced manufacturing, materials engineering, sustainability, and industrial collaboration. Loughborough University consistently ranks among the top UK universities for engineering and technology and