Woven from the Red Sea: Saudi Arabia’s First Seaweed Fabric

What species of algae are you harvesting, and how do you ensure their ecological sustainability?
Fiona Symes: We work with several native macroalgae species that are naturally abundant along parts of the Red Sea coastline. Because this is a sensitive marine environment, sustainability is non-negotiable. Our teams conduct ecological surveys before any harvesting takes place, and we only collect from areas where biomass levels can support it. The main Red Sea seaweed species that we use are from the brown group and specifically Sargassum genus.

We use non-destructive, small-scale harvesting techniques, follow seasonal timing, and monitor regrowth to ensure we’re not disrupting marine ecosystems. Everything is done under KAUST’s environmental guidelines, which are aligned with national conservation standards. In practical terms, this means we take only what the ecosystem can comfortably regenerate, nothing more.

Have you conducted a cradle-to-gate Environmental Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA)? What are the preliminary results?
Fiona Symes: A full cradle-to-gate LCA is currently underway, but the early indicators are very encouraging. Seaweed has inherent environmental advantages: it requires no fresh water, no fertilizers and no arable land, and it can be harvested with minimal ecological impact. When you combine that with local sourcing and a closed-loop Lyocell process, the footprint appears significantly lower than many conventional fibres.

While I can’t share quantitative results yet, the initial metrics suggest strong performance in areas such as water use, land use and supply-chain emissions. Once we complete the analysis, we will release the full breakdown with verified numbers.

What have been the major technical obstacles, and how are you addressing them?
Fiona Symes: Every new bio-based material comes with its own learning curve. With seaweed, the biggest challenge is finding the right balance: too much biomass and you compromise fibre strength or spinnability; too little and you lose the properties you’re trying to highlight.

Moisture behaviour has been another important area; seaweed is naturally hydrophilic, so we’ve had to study how it interacts with Lyocell at different blend ratios. Structural stability and consistency across batches are also part of the work. These are all solvable challenges, and our approach has been highly iterative: test, analyse, adjust, repeat. Working closely with Pyratex has been essential, as they bring deep expertise in bio-fibre engineering.

What scale-up roadmap are you working on?
Fiona Symes: At this point, our work has focused on establishing the scientific foundation: identifying suitable Red Sea species, understanding their biochemical properties, and demonstrating that the biomass can be integrated into a textile fibre and successfully made into garments. As a roadmap, we are currently in Phase 2 where the aim is to reach 50% seaweed inclusion in fibres. We will also do further analyses to understand the environmental and economical implications. Any decisions around broader scale-up will depend on continued research, environmental considerations and coordination with our partners.

Currently, we are in conversation with the Ministry of Culture for a potential Phase 3, aiming to build the first fibre and fabric factory in the Red Sea Saudi coast, providing jobs for local workforce (fishermen and their families) for harvest and fabric production of the Red Sea Seaweed fabric. It’s too early to outline a formal roadmap, but we are approaching future development cautiously, ensuring that any progression is backed by solid science and sustainability safeguards.

What is the biggest challenge you face in scaling the Red Sea seaweed-based fibre from pilot to commercial volumes?
Fiona Symes: Transitioning from a successful pilot to commercial-scale production involves proving our economic viability and environmental benefits. We’re enthused by the milestones we've achieved so far, and we’re eager to build the infrastructure needed for a consistent, high-volume supply chain. We need to ensure that every step, from sustainable harvesting to fibre production, can be replicated efficiently while maintaining our unique Red Sea fibre's quality. 

How do you balance sustainability goals with cost-efficiency, especially given the novelty of seaweed-derived textiles? 
Fiona Symes:  We view sustainability as long-term cost-efficiency. Seaweed offers inherent advantages: it requires no freshwater, fertilizers, or arable land. Local harvesting drastically shortens our supply chain, cutting transportation costs and emissions. Our closed-loop Lyocell integration minimises waste. By turning abundant Sargassum seaweed (which can be an environmental challenge) into a valuable resource, we create economic incentives while benefiting the ecosystem.

What impact do you expect this project to have on Red Sea coastal communities — economically and environmentally?
Fiona Symes:  This project empowers communities as stewards of their local marine environment. Economically, it diversifies livelihoods, creating new income streams for local fishermen and residents through sustainable seaweed harvesting. Environmentally, as mentioned above, we transform Sargassum (which can be a nuisance) into value, reduce fishing pressure by offering alternative work, and maintain marine ecosystem health through our careful, non-destructive harvesting practices.

How do you plan to accelerate market adoption of garments made from seaweed fibre, and what proof points will assure global brands?
Fiona Symes: Not only do our handcrafted garments showcase the fibre's high quality and aesthetic appeal, but our rigorous Life Cycle Analysis also (LCA) provides verified, quantitative data on the environmental benefits like lower water and land use. Our focus on Saudi innovation and heritage appeals to local brands seeking authentic sustainability. Alongside our partners, Pyratex and the Saudi Fashion Commission, our vision is to promote our Red Sea fibre as a unique textile on the global market.

Seaweed fibres have been developed in other regions, including Europe and Asia. How does this Red Sea–based textile differ in terms of material characteristics, environmental impact, or production advantages?
Fiona Symes: Sargassum’s unique characteristics – namely its richness in cellulose and alginate – make it exceptional for textile production, creating a silky, skin-friendly hand-feel. Sargassum’s abundance in the Red Sea poses an ecological and economic threat, primarily by suffocating vital ecosystems, depleting oxygen, and disrupting marine life. Our method transforms an abundant local challenge into a valuable resource, allowing for a significantly shortened, localised and transparent supply chain.