By Rajkishore Nayak, RMIT University Vietnam and Donna Cleveland, RMIT University Vietnam If you’ve ever made kombucha, you will be familiar with the term SCOBY – a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It’s impossible to miss – it’s the floating biofilm on top of your delicious drink. While a SCOBY looks gross, it is remarkably…
Recycling technology company Samsara Eco has developed enzymes capable of recycling nylon 6, a synthetic fibre commonly used in apparel, hosiery and automotives which have proven difficult to recycle. The innovation builds on Samsara Eco’s existing capabilities to infinitely recycle nylon 6,6 and polyester and marks an important leap to tackle waste and eliminate the…
Scrap carpet fibres can be a key ingredient in stronger, crack-resistant concrete, a research team from RMIT University is proving. The team is currently engaging with partners including Textile Recyclers Australia, Godfrey Hirst Australia and councils in Victoria, conducting field studies of on-ground slabs incorporating reclaimed textiles, according to a statement from the university of…
Australian clothing brand Country Road has announced grant recipients in the second year of its annual Climate Fund, backing four projects aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the fashion industry supply chain. According to a statement from the company on Friday, the three-year, $1.5 million fund announced in 2022 supports projects across four pillars:…
CSIRO researchers have successfully developed a next-generation uniform prototype that employs nanofibres to safeguard Australian troops from chemical and biological threats. The innovative material is a lightweight fabric that effectively filters out harmful particles while remaining light-weight and breathable, keeping the wearer comfortable in extreme temperatures. CSIRO Manufacturing Research Unit Director Dr Marcus Zipper said…
A new report from market intelligence firm IBISWorld has found the sector representing manufacture of women’s and girl’s wear in Australia is worth $556 million and made up of 502 businesses. In a summary of the results, IBISWorld said the sector had declined at a compound annual growth rate of 2.7 per cent over the…
New research commissioned by the Australian Fashion Council has revealed that Victoria’s fashion manufacturing industry has reached a critical point in its evolution. While the sector’s current and potential value was estimated at almost $1 billion, the state’s textile, clothing and footwear manufacturing has shed 18 percent of its value in the past five years.…
The Silver Fleece mill has been saved, according to Dean and Melanie Flintoft, who put on “quick and successful capital raise” and promise a “strong comeback” for the knitwear manufacturer. Silver Fleece has a factory at Hindmarsh and entered administration last month, following a General Meeting on June 26 resolving that the company be wound…
The foundations have been laid and construction is underway at a processing facility “that will underpin a sustainable cotton industry” in the Ord River Irrigation Area, according to an update from the Western Australian government. Premier Roger Cook and regional development minister Don Punch toured the Kimberley Cotton Company’s cotton gin in Kununurra on Wednesday.…
A new study led by Flinders University has discovered what the university says is “a novel way to degrade and potentially remove toxic organic chemicals” such as azo dyes – synthetic dyes widely-used in industries such as textiles and food – using chemical photocatalysis powered by ultraviolet light. Professor Gunther Andersson, from the Flinders Institute…