United States

A Penn State-led research team has turned fermentation waste from brewing and pharmaceuticals into a spinnable protein fibre, achieving pilot runs in Germany and producing pilot-scale quantities of material. The process shows lifecycle feasibility at about six dollars per kilogram, with sharply reduced water and land use, and fully biodegradable characteristics.

As international agencies develop new criteria for textile “waste,” concerns are emerging over how these definitions affect circular trade and livelihoods. SMART, the US-based association for secondary materials and recycled textiles, urges clarity and inclusiveness. Its Director of Government Affairs, Jessica Franken, stresses that credible environmental frameworks require full transparency and peer-reviewed data.

MIT Media Lab researchers have demonstrated that centuries-old weaving methods can be used to create programmable, shape-changing fabrics. By combining liquid-crystal-elastomer fibres with cotton and conductive threads, the team produced handwoven textiles capable of curling, shrinking or puffing on demand, pointing toward new possibilities in soft robotics and adaptive garments.

A new citizen science study by researchers at the Desert Research Institute and Keep Tahoe Blue has found that household clothes dryers release significant amounts of microfibres into the air. The findings highlight dryers as a previously under-recognised source of microplastic pollution and suggest that simple household changes could help limit fibre emissions into the environment.

The growing ease of online returns is redrawing the map of fashion logistics. What began as a customer service feature has become an environmental liability, adding distance, fuel use, and waste to every transaction. The system built for convenience now defines how much carbon fashion sends back into circulation, a new study has pointed out.

A Cornell University study on human-centred design has shown that algorithm-fuelled generative art heightens consumers’ sense of exclusivity and aesthetic pleasure inside metaverse-based fashion stores. The experiments revealed that AI-driven art installations enhance engagement for both mass-market and luxury brands, with dynamic displays especially effective in stimulating online word-of-mouth responses and retail appeal.

Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Adobe have created Refashion, a software system that lets users design garments that can be disassembled and reassembled into different clothing items. The tool demonstrates how digital design and modular construction can reduce waste and enable sustainable fashion through reconfigurable patterns and smart interfaces.

NexttGen material innovator MycoWorks has announced plans to shut its Union, South Carolina factory — the flagship site once hailed as a breakthrough for Fine Mycelium production. The company said it would now source and process mycelium through partner tanneries worldwide using its Rei-Tan technology, a change that redefines both its business model and the emerging bio-materials landscape.

Climate action NGO WRAP is extending its Durability Accelerator Initiative beyond the UK to test whether clothes sold by major brands truly last under everyday use. Following pilot studies that questioned links between price and longevity, the programme will benchmark garments across North American and European markets, pushing for tougher, evidence-based durability standards in fashion.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture by offering smarter ways to monitor pests and optimise pesticide use. A new initiative demonstrates how rural communities can harness cutting-edge technologies to strengthen farming practices, protect health and build innovation capacity. The project also highlights how collaborative partnerships can bring long-term economic and community benefits outside urban centres.