Circular economy is a key element in all our work
In an ambitious move to reinvigorate Australia’s onshore textile manufacturing and promote sustainable fibre use, Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) has partnered with Country Road and Full Circle Fibres for the pioneering ‘Mud to Marle’ project. The initiative aims to transform low-grade Merino wool—often overlooked due to its short fibre length—into high-value yarns suitable for fashion garments, entirely within Australia. At the heart of this innovation is Associate Professor Christopher Hurren, who brings extensive expertise in textile processing and sustainability. In this interview with Fibre2Fashion, he sheds light on the project’s breakthroughs, challenges, and its potential to reshape Australia’s fibre-to-fashion journey.
How is Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) pushing the boundaries in fibre and textile innovation, particularly in sustainable material development?
Deakin is pushing the boundaries in multiple ways. Professor Alessandra Sutti and her team’s work with Xefco on waterless dyeing is reimagining how we colour textiles. My team’s collaboration with Uluu on a seaweed-derived fibre is creating new sustainable alternatives to polyester-based polymers. Our students’ research on textile composting is highlighting the potential impact of dyes and chemicals on soil health. Meanwhile, Professor Rangam Rajkhowa and his team’s work on perpetual pigments is developing sustainable pigments from textile waste.
Can you elaborate on the capabilities and uniqueness of the Future Fibres Facility at Deakin? How does it support end-to-end textile research?
The Future Fibres Facility houses laboratory and medium-scale processing equipment covering every step of the textile manufacturing chain. Our melt extrusion and wet extrusion equipment allow us to produce new fibres and filaments from both novel and traditional precursor materials. We also have mechanical recycling equipment that enables us to break down old textiles into reusable fibre sources. Our short staple spinning equipment allows us to create spun yarns from either in-house or externally sourced fibres. These yarns can then be converted into fabrics using our knitting and weaving capabilities. We also have facilities for dyeing and testing fabrics to evaluate their performance properties. The facility supports research from gram-scale lab work up to 100 kg for product demonstrator development, enabling true end-to-end textile innovation.
What kind of breakthroughs have been made at Deakin in terms of cotton and wool processing technology?
Deakin is working with Michell Wool on their eqwool product to enable a smooth transition to industry. We have helped to give a successful dyeing process to achieve even, fast and vibrant colours. We continue to improve yarn evenness and increase the amount of wool that can be spun with cotton on cotton spinning equipment.
How does Deakin University collaborate with industry players to translate lab-scale textile innovations into commercial applications?
We listen to industry about the problem they have. We propose work that will understand their problem and provide an effective solution. In some cases, this starts at the fundamental level and in others it is helping to develop and scale an existing technology. We help to go from Lab to Label with a new technology.
How are you integrating circular economy principles in textile R&D at Deakin?
Circular economy (CE) is a key element in all our work. This is often the key reason for industry to engage our services.
What role do digital technologies or smart textiles play in your current textile research projects?
We are working with some smart technologies. However, the current industry demand is predominately in CE and recycling.
Given Australia’s rich fibre resources but limited commercial textile infrastructure, what do you see as the most immediate opportunities for revitalising local textile manufacturing?
Our next developments in textile manufacture are likely to be in recycling. With automated equipment, clean textile feedstock and our ability to harness renewable energy, we are a strong contender to re-enter the recycle textile market.
What are the biggest research challenges in making low-grade natural fibres viable for high-performance applications?
Being able to recycle a textile at end of life and recover their properties is critical to making new high-performance textiles from them. Helping companies like Samsara Eco to chemically recycle fibres is one way we are already starting to do this.
Can you share insights on Deakin’s ongoing efforts in bio-based or recycled textile material innovation?
Our work with Uluu on a seaweed derived fibre is a perfect example of biobased technology we are helping to develop. We have also worked with Nanollose on their food waste derived cellulose fibres.
How do you envision the future of fibre blending—especially with natural fibres like wool and cotton—to achieve better environmental and functional outcomes?
We need to stop blending fibres together that can not be recovered at end of life. Our work will investigate recycling blended fibres and determine new ways to achieve improved reuse rates. Wool and cotton are good candidates for a blend, as they both have potential to biodegrade at the end of their life.
What were the biggest technical hurdles in converting low-grade Merino wool locks into fine yarn during the Mud to Marle project?
The biggest hurdle in this work was to get successful distribution of the wool fibres within the cotton. We were able to improve separation and distribution of wool fibres in the blend improving yarn evenness.
How did the wool-cotton blend innovation reduce water and energy use, especially during the dyeing process?
We dyed only the wool component of the blend. This meant that we only needed 30 per cent of the dye and chemicals. Because we dyed the wool before spinning, it meant that we reduced the water and effluent by similar amounts as well. Wool takes dye better than cotton, so this also resulted in lower dye contamination of the effluent.
How significant is the $300,000 industry partnership for accelerating R&D in wool-cotton products at Deakin? What are the primary goals for the next three years?
This partnership is with Michell Wool to help them to develop their eqwool product further. It will help to increase its use by industry and help provide a comprehensive guide on how to use the fibre in mills.
What kind of feedback have you received on the performance and wearability of prototype garments made from the Mud to Marle yarns?
People love the look and the feel of the blend.
Do you see scalable potential for this fully domestic, circular model in the broader Australian textile industry? What is needed to support its commercial viability?
The current Seamless programme has the potential to improve circularity. However, there needs to be an increase in the money collected to allow support for people to set up the infrastructure. Some of this money should be made available to design recycled products and support setting up mills to do the recycling.
