North Carolina is home to two of the first ever National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines, which are a part of President Joe Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda.
The multi-million dollar investment will go towards sustainable textile research, specifically looking at ways to recycle fabrics. The Wilson College of Textiles at N.C. State University is serving as a core partner in research efforts.
What You Need To Know
North Carolina is home to two of the first ever National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines
The multi-million dollar investment will go towards sustainable textile research, specifically looking at ways to recycle fabrics
The Wilson College of Textiles at N.C. State University is serving as a core partner in research efforts
NCSU will receive up to $15 million for the first two years and up to $160 million over 10 years
“Instead of having a more traditional filter, you can make it out of textile-based materials and then you can use it to capture carbon dioxide,” Sophie Frain, a senior at N.C. State University, said.
Labs at the Wilson College of Textiles offer a glimpse into the research that’s shaping the future of the textile industry.
“I think there’s a really good opportunity in textiles for new things, sustainable developments that we don’t really have in the industry,” Frain said. “There’s a huge loss of knowledge in textiles. There’s not as many people in the textile industry anymore.”
Frain says it takes a lot of water to dye fabric and she believes that part of the process, as well as other aspects, can and should be improved.
“Make finishes more sustainable or move further away from harmful chemicals that we apply to the outside of our textiles that in turn goes into water or sits on our bodies,” Frain said.
Recently, the Wilson College of Textiles received an initial investment of $15 million from the United States National Science Foundation.
“In the United States, the Wilson College of Textiles is the only college, standalone college, that’s focused entirely on the textile industry,” Dr. Sonja Salmon, an associate professor at the Wilson College of Textiles, said.
The investment is designed to encourage development of sustainable fabrics, which is something Salmon says the industry needs.
“In the U.S. alone, there’s about 11 million tons of textiles being thrown away in landfills because there are no good recycling options for them. And it’s because they’re very complicated technical materials,” Salmon said. “Textiles make great filters. We use them to filter out particles. We use them to filter water. Why don’t we use them to filter out air? Why don’t we use them to filter things like carbon dioxide? So we’re going to work on technologies like that. This is completely new for the industry, where the industry can contribute value to a really big sustainability problem.”
Many parts of the textile industry have been outsourced in recent years. But Salmon says she’s encouraged by efforts like this funding that want to help bring it back closer to home, with a focus on innovation and sustainability.
“How can we recover these materials in the same way that we have good strategies now for putting paper and aluminum and glass into different compartments? Let’s take those textiles apart, divide them into their different polymer and fiber types, and find ways to recycle and reuse them. And that’s a that’s a technical problem, and that’s why you need science to help solve it,” Salmon said. “It’s going to help bring those, make those collaborations even stronger, gives us opportunities to work with each other in ways that can build new opportunities for this industry.”
In addition to the research at NCSU, the Piedmont Regenerative Medicine Engine is also receiving funding. Both are receiving up to $15 million for the first two years and up to $160 million over 10 years.
Source: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/