Posted by Alfiya Yermukasheva
31 July 2025New NERC-funded projects announced from Future Fibres Network Plus
We are thrilled to announce the funding of 3 more projects. Through the Circular Fashion Programme’s Central Team (PCT) UKRI have invested a further £110,000 which, after a competitive selection process, has been distributed to collaborations that are underway until the end of the year. These projects will be overseen by the University of Exeter. The partnerships have been set up to fulfil the programme’s overarching theme of embedding environmental science at the heart of the fashion and textile industry. We’ll keep you updated as the projects progress. Follow us here.
You can find the details below.
The Business of Repair: Evidence-backed Strategies for Circular Fashion
Lead: University of Exeter, Dr. Ruth Cherrington
Partners: Manchester Metropolitan University (Manchester Fashion Institute), collaboration with Finisterre
Project Duration: 9 months
Team: Livia Regina Batista-Pritchard, Professor Liz Barnes, Amy Brock-Morgan
Despite growing literature on repair and circularity, verifiable evidence on effective interventions remains scarce. This project will collect rigorous data on business-led repair initiatives, identifying barriers and opportunities in the business-community-consumer interface. The research will produce evidence-based recommendations for clothing businesses implementing repair services and contribute to a deeper understanding of behaviour change in textile circularity. This interdisciplinary collaboration integrates perspectives from business, law, behavioural science, and industry, ensuring academic rigour and practical impact. By addressing the need for circular business case studies, it will provide proof of concept and implementation guidance, reducing perceived risk in transitioning to circular models.
Data Visualisation Impact Working Group
Lead: University of the Arts London – Professor Kate Goldsworthy
Partners: Northumbria University, University of Leeds
Project Duration: 9 months
Team: Dr. Peter Hall, Dr. Phil Purnell, Dr. Alana James
A longstanding challenge with complex environmental issues is how scientific data are evaluated and communicated across disciplinary boundaries to effect actions such as behaviour and policy change. Visualisation is immensely useful in supporting the analysis of data and the communication of findings, and, in exploratory form, is used to generate new knowledge. This proposed working group will be focused on the development of visualisation guidance and best practices that address these key challenges: data analysis, knowledge generation, the visual communication of project findings and impact measures across disciplinary borders and how to visually communicate to publics beyond the N+ network.
Spores & Chores: Consumer Perceptions of Biotic Textiles
Lead: University of Plymouth, Dr. Kayleigh Wyles
Partners: Northumbria University, Newcastle University
Project Duration: 8 months
Team: Dr. Shelley Kotze, Dr. Max Kelly, Dr. Angela Sherry, Dr. Jane Scott
This project delves into the future of fashion, exploring how innovative biotic textiles — clothing infused with beneficial microbes — could revolutionise garment care and sustainability. A deep dive into existing research and hands-on consumer insights will uncover how smart fabrics can extend clothing lifespan, reduce washing, and minimise waste. Consumer interviews will investigate perceptions of washing, wearing, and care habits, including handling exercises to understand textile use. By blending physical and social science with real-world behaviour, findings will shape a new framework for sustainable fashion, helping brands create longer-lasting, eco-conscious textiles that look good, feel great, and leave a lighter footprint on the planet.
