This is the first in a series of 6 episodes in collaboration with Fashion District who are on a mission to make London the global hub for fashion technology. They create a dynamic space where fashion, tech, business, and education intersect. This initiative fosters innovation, nurtures talent and provide an ecosystem of support for fashion and textile startups in the UK.

In this episode, Jim Ajioka (Colorifix), Helene Steiner (OpenCell), and Brooke Roberts-Islam (Techstyler) share their unique journeys and insights about navigating the intersections of science, fashion, and innovation. They discuss the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, the challenges of transitioning from different fields, the necessity of understanding your industry's demand, and the crucial role of marketing and customer discovery. The conversation also covers the significance of personal well-being for founders, highlighting self-care as a critical, yet often overlooked aspect of sustaining a startup. The episode wraps up with valuable insights into the resources and strategies that help startups thrive.

Brooke Roberts-Islam [https://www.techstyler.fashion/]is the founder of Techstyler, a consultancy that focuses on providing intelligence to guide sustainability decision-making in the fashion and textile industries. She is also a senior sustainability contributor at Forbes, where she provides in-depth analysis and reporting on sustainable fashion initiatives. She is an award winning knitwear designer and has extensive experience in product development with various brands, including QASIMI, LVMH, and Solace London.

Helene Steiner [https://www.opencell.bio/] is a design engineer that works at the intersection of technology and science. She co-founded Open Cell, providing affordable lab space for biotech startups. She has supported over 100 startups since 2018 and has a rich background in research at Microsoft and MIT Media Lab. She has received numerous awards and her work has been exhibited globally including at the Centre Pompidou, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.

Jim Ajioka [https://colorifix.com/] is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge and along with Orr Yarkoni co-founded Colorifix, a startup revolutionizing textile dyeing with sustainable processes. The use microbes to produce, deposit and fix pigments on fabrics, eliminating the need for harmful chemicals and reducing water usage during dyeing. Colorifix has collaborated with major fashion brands like H&M, Pangaia, and Stella McCartney. They have raised a Series B round and is moving towards scaling up their solution.

Mili Tharakan: Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/] I Survey [https://tinyurl.com/4puz24rm]

Other resources: Fashion District [https://www.fashion-district.co.uk/] I Fashion for Good [https://accelerator.fashionforgood.com/] I The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited (HKRITA) [https://www.hkrita.com/] I The Mills Fabrica [https://www.themillsfabrica.com/] I  Steve Blank’s resources [https://steveblank.com/books-for-startups/]

Your support means the world to me! If you enjoyed this episode, consider buying me a coffee [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/noordinarycloth]

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash I Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Ep 12. Strategies and Ecosystems for Fashion / Textile Startup Success with Brooke Roberts-Islam, Helene Steiner, Jim Ajioka

In this episode of the No Ordinary Cloth Podcast, we speak with Vibeke Vestby, the inventor of the first-ever digital jacquard handloom.

She share about her passion for weaving as a child, her impatience with traditional looms and a trip to Italy that was pivotal in reimagining the 200 year old jacquard loom. Vibeke recounts her early inspiration, the technical evolution of the loom, and the collaborative process with the engineering company Tronrud, to bring her vision to life. Her persistence and determination results in the remarkable TC2 Digital Jacquard handloom.

Join us as Vibeke goes from teaching prisoners weaving to wanting to weave clouds and peonies and  making a loom that will enable her and others to use the jacquard loom like a sketch book to quickly translate ideas and be a catalyst for creativity.

Vibeke also discusses her personal life, including how she became a trained pilot, and the importance of teamwork and curiosity in her groundbreaking work.

Tune in to learn how the TC2 digital loom, a symbol of potential, is revolutionising and democratising hand weaving, driving forward the ever-evolving ingenuity in textile weaving.

Connect with Vibeke Vestby and her team

Digital Weaving Norway [https://digitalweaving.no/]

Insta:  @digitalweavingnorway [https://www.instagram.com/digitalweavingnorway/]

Connect with Mili Tharakan

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Podcast survey link [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5dvn2fDBUa8keNkdxKY-5Kac_3JKSOzkdHG0NjtDGKcow0A/viewform?usp=sf_link]



Timestamp:

00:00:04: Introduction to the episode

00:00:28: Introduction to the main topic - The Loom

00:00:59: Introduction of the guest - Vibeke Vestby

00:04:49: Vibeke's passion for weaving and her early career

00:10:08: Vibeke's teaching experience in Norway's only prison for females

00:11:26: Vibeke's career at the College of Art and Design

00:11:36: Development of the first Weave Planner programme

00:12:12: Vibeke's learnings and experience at Silk Art Foundation in Lisio, Florence

00:15:04: The history of the Jacquard loom and its evolution

00:19:12: How the Jacquard loom revolutionised weaving

00:22:42: Vibeke's journey to creating the digital Jacquard handloom

00:23:13: Initial Challenges and Realisation

00:24:33: Funding and the First Prototype

00:28:29: The Difficulties of Bringing the Loom to Market

00:31:15: The Loom and its Scaleability

00:33:56: Market Adaptation and Customer Response

00:44:42: The Loom as a Tool for Generating Ideas

00:46:27: Vibeke's Background

00:49:05: Discussion on Traditional Norwegian Costumes

00:52:04: Vibeke's Interest in Flying and Pilot Training

00:57:56: Outlook on the Future of Creative Weaving

00:59:00: Current Projects and Interests

01:03:01: Host's Reflections and Takeaways from the Conversation

Ep 11. Dreaming of Weaving Clouds and Inventing the Digital Jacquard Handloom with Vibeke Vestby

Welcome to the No Ordinary Cloth podcast, where we stitch together a tapestry of textile innovations one episode at a time. Today, we're joined by Linda Worbin, a pioneer in Smart Textiles. Join us as we explore the past, present, and future of this dynamic industry.

Linda Worbin, a Material and Innovation Developer based in Sweden, brings a wealth of experience to our conversation. With her background as a former professor at the Swedish School of Textiles and a visionary in the industry, Linda's journey spans over two decades of exploration and development in Smart Textiles, and offers valuable insights into the evolution of Smart Textiles.

In this episode, Linda reflects on her journey from academia to industry, sharing insights that have shaped the field and inspired many to follow in her footsteps. From dynamic textile patterns to the importance of collaborations, Linda's perspective provides a roadmap for future advancements.

Smart textiles, or e-textiles, offer intriguing functionalities that vastly differ from conventional textiles. Imagine fabrics that respond to environmental changes, altering colour or texture in real-time, or clothing that monitors vital signs and alerts you to potential risks. These innovations not only redefine our wardrobes but also revolutionise our everyday lives.

Episode Highlights:

 * Linda's journey from academia to industry.
 * Insights into dynamic textile patterns and collaborations.
 * Equipping the next generation of textile makers
 * The mindset of a pioneer in Smart Textiles.
 * Linda’s life and influences

Join us as we follow the footsteps of someone who envisions the future of fabrics —a future where innovation knows no bounds and an ordinary cloth becomes a canvas for extraordinary possibilities. This is the No Ordinary Cloth podcast.

Connect with Mili Tharakan

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Ep 10. Disobedient Fabrics: A Journey in Smart Textiles with Linda Worbin (Part 2)

Welcome to the No Ordinary Cloth podcast, where we stitch together a tapestry of textile innovations one episode at a time. Today, we're joined by Linda Worbin, a pioneer in Smart Textiles. Join us as we explore the past, present, and future of this dynamic industry.

Linda Worbin, a Material and Innovation Developer based in Sweden, brings a wealth of experience to our conversation. With her background as a former professor at the Swedish School of Textiles and a visionary in the industry, Linda's journey spans over two decades of exploration and development in Smart Textiles, and offers valuable insights into the evolution of Smart Textiles.

In this episode, Linda reflects on her journey from academia to industry, sharing insights that have shaped the field and inspired many to follow in her footsteps. From dynamic textile patterns to the importance of collaborations, Linda's perspective provides a roadmap for future advancements.

Smart textiles, or e-textiles, offer intriguing functionalities that vastly differ from conventional textiles. Imagine fabrics that respond to environmental changes, altering colour or texture in real-time, or clothing that monitors vital signs and alerts you to potential risks. These innovations not only redefine our wardrobes but also revolutionise our everyday lives.

Join us as we follow the footsteps of someone who envisions the future of fabrics.

Episode Highlights:

 * Linda's journey from academia to industry
 * Insights into dynamic textile patterns and the need for collaborations
 * Preparing the next generation of textile makers
 * The mindset of a pioneer in Smart Textiles
 * Linda’s life and influences

Join us as we weave the future together—a future where innovation knows no bounds and an ordinary cloth becomes a canvas for extraordinary possibilities. This is the No Ordinary Cloth podcast.

Connect with Mili Tharakan

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Ep 9. Disobedient Fabrics: A Journey in Smart Textiles with Linda Worbin (Part 1)

🎉  In this episode as we celebrate Women’s Day in March 2024, we have a very special guest - Prof. Sohini Kar-Narayan, a leading material scientist and nanotechnology expert from the University of Cambridge, sharing with us about her passion for science and her work with nano materials for energy harvesting and self-powered sensing technology, and it’s potential for smart textiles and wearables.

🧪 This is also the story about a young girl who wanted to invent something and went on to become, among many things, one of the Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering in 2021. She was the recipient of the World Economic Forum Young Scientist Award in 2015, the Peter Day Award in 2023 and many other prestigious awards over the years. You can find out more about this on her Wiki page.

👩🏽‍🔬  Here, Sohini shares some of the challenges she faced as a woman navigating a career in academia in Science. From her position of leadership today, she is keen to encourage more people to explore science and gives valuable insights for others, especially women, who might be considering a career in these areas.

📍 Sohini not only invented many thing but is using one of her invention to transform the effectiveness of hip surgeries with the force-sensing technology in her startup ArtioSense so learn more about this here as well. She also candidly shares about navigating the world of start ups, the new skills she has had to pick up compared to her life as an academic researcher. I have been there and I know this is a difficult transition so if you are in a similar place, do join us to learn more from Sohini.

If you are interested to learn more about Sohini's research and startup, please check out the links below:

University of Cambridge - Research [https://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/people/kar-narayan]

Research Lab [https://www.kar-narayan.msm.cam.ac.uk/]

Artiosense [https://artiosense.co.uk/] - force sensing technology startup

Connect with Mili Tharakan

⭐️ Podcast survey link [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5dvn2fDBUa8keNkdxKY-5Kac_3JKSOzkdHG0NjtDGKcow0A/viewform?usp=sf_link]

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman



Ep8. Energy Harvesting Nanotech Fibres for Wearables and Women in Science with Sohini Kar-Narayan

Welcome to this special mini episode of the No Ordinary Cloth podcast, where we explore the fascinating world of textiles and fashion and the innovative minds shaping its future. Today, we're spotlighting the Manufacturing Futures 2024 - Innovation Challenge, a pivotal event for UK-based startups and SMEs in the fashion industry. 

There is some exciting news to share, do listen in to the end of the episode.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

Details about the Manufacturing Futures Innovation Challenge 2024 competition and what the winner can expect as prize money and support

You will also get some insights from the judges themselves - what is important to them, what they are looking for in the applications, tips. This will give you hopefully help prepare your application.

Jen Keane from Modern Synthesis, winners of a previous Manufacturing Futures competition, will be sharing about her startup that makes biomaterials and about their collaborating with GANNI to develop the Bou bag using nano cellulose materials made by bacteria.

This episode not only highlights the Manufacturing Futures Innovation Challenge but also serves as a reminder of the power of innovation and the importance of community in shaping the future of fashion. Whether you're directly involved in the fashion industry or simply passionate about innovation and sustainability, this challenge represents a fantastic opportunity to contribute to meaningful change.

Manufacturing Futures 2024 [https://www.fashion-district.co.uk/competition/manufacturing-futures-2024/#:~:text=The%20Fashion%20District%20is%20delighted,supporting%20new%20innovations%20and%20SMEs.]  - find out all the details about the challenge here

Fashion District [https://www.fashion-district.co.uk/]

Instagram: @fd_ldn  [https://www.instagram.com/fd_ldn/]

Twitter/X: @fd_ldn  [https://twitter.com/fd_ldn?lang=en]

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/fdldn

Modern Synthesis [https://www.modernsynthesis.com/]

Link to survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5dvn2fDBUa8keNkdxKY-5Kac_3JKSOzkdHG0NjtDGKcow0A/viewform?usp=sf_link]  - would deeply appreciate your feedback, it will only take a couple of minutes

Connect with Mili Tharakan

mili@militharakan.com

Instagram: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Ep.7 ⭐️ Fashion District Manufacturing Futures Innovation Challenge 2024

On this episode of the 'No Ordinary Cloth' podcast, we welcome Gilberto Loureiro, the co-founder and CEO of Smartex, an innovative startup leveraging AI and machine learning to transform the textile industry and modernise it's factories.

Gilberto draws upon his life experiences, growing up in a family where everyone worked in the textile business and witnessing the substantial wastage and outdated practices in factories. This became his motivation to set up Smartex - a company building an eco-system of solutions to bring textile factories into the 21st century, eliminate waste, and enhance traceability and sustainability. They are truly revolutionising and shaping the future of textile factories.

He talks about the challenges faced by startups and shares lots of valuable resources and advice for others who might be building a startup. He highlights the importance of mentors, being humble and enjoying the work that you do to be successful.

Furthermore, Gilberto elaborates on the sector's future, identifying technology, shorter orders, increased automation, and reduced human dependence as primary factors leading the charge. Our discussion unpacks the enormous potential AI and machine learning hold for not just improving efficiencies but also for combating the significant sustainability issues within the textile industry.

Smartex [https://www.smartex.ai/]

Modern Textile Factory report [https://www.smartex.ai/the-modern-textile-factory-report-2023]

Connect with Mili Tharakan

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Podcast survey link [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Ep 6. AI for Zero Waste Fabric, Sustainability and Traceability in Textile Factories with Gilberto Loureiro

In this episode of The No Ordinary Cloth Podcast, we hear from Mika Satomi - an exceptional artist and maker whose artistic approach transcends mediums. She skilfully blends traditional and modern, digital and manual techniques and materials to convey powerful narratives. She is as proficient in weaving and crocheting as she is in programming and electronics and so many other techniques. Here she shares about her approach to learning new skills and deepening her existing ones.

She is known as a pioneer in the E-textiles community and most people would know her through Kobakant - How to get what you want - a resource for e-textile materials and techniques, that she and Hannah Perner-Wilson built. But Today, Mika joins us to discuss her latest project, Indigo Hyphae, a reflection on the topic of human migration. She explores traditional Japanese katazome techniques along with indigo dyeing techniques, going totally analogue this time, marking a shift from her usual e-textiles work.

Mika shares about her experience of teaching at art universities, her collaboration with Hannah Perner-Wilson, and their project Kobakant. She also touches on the role and responsibility we have as makers and the impact it has on the world. This discussion will leave you contemplative of your own practise and skills.

Join us as we explore the journey of this pioneering, deeply creative and thought provoking artist. 

Podcast feedback survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5dvn2fDBUa8keNkdxKY-5Kac_3JKSOzkdHG0NjtDGKcow0A/viewform?usp=sf_link]

Mika Satomi's works

Mika Satomi website [https://www.nerding.at/]

Indigo Hyphea project [https://www.nerding.at/indigo_hyphae/]

Indigo Hyphae map [https://www.nerding.at/indigo_hyphae/map/]

Zeug Farberai - Indigo dyeing studio [https://www.zeugfaerberei.at/]

Kobakant - How to get what you want [https://www.kobakant.at/DIY/]

Connect with Mili Tharakan

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]



Time stamp of episode:

 * 00:19 Getting to Know Mika Satomi
 * 05:17 Introduction to the Indigo Hyphae Project
 * 07:31 The Concept and Inspiration Behind Indigo Hyphae
 * 10:05 The Process and Techniques of Indigo Hyphae
 * 20:26 Reflections on Craftsmanship and Skill Acquisition
 * 34:43 Exploring E-Textiles
 * 36:05 The Impact of Collaboration and Kobakant
 * 43:40 The Responsibility of Designers
 * 48:17 The Impact of Teaching on Personal Growth
 * 01:02:14 Reflections on the Interview

Ep 5. Indigo-Dyed Fabric Migration and Thinking Through Making with Mika Satomi

Whether you are a textile designer, biologist, engineer, architect, fashion designer, material scientist or a curious maker - we all need to come together to innovate and solve challenges the world is facing today.

On this episode our guest speaker Anastasia Pistofidou has done just that - she has created an ecosystem that brings together diverse expertise to explore textiles and solve some of these challenges.

Trained as an architect, Anastasia meanders into the world of textiles through soft architecture, where she began to take knowledge and tools from her architectural background and apply them to the textile field to create new materials and ideas. She is a passionate educator and maker at heart. Anastasia's story is about the merging of creativity, sustainability, and technological advancement inspiring a new wave of textile education and industry practices.

With a mission to make science more accessible to everyone, she co-founded the open-source educational program, Fabricademy, where students from diverse walks of life (and aged anywhere between 16-65) come together to learn and innovate at the intersection of textiles, biology and digital fabrication. All are welcome to this program that fosters community engagement, promote peer-to-peer learning and collaborations worldwide. What you learn here is beyond conventional fashion education, it breeds new knowledge, equipping learners to challenge the fast-fashion industry's status quo.

Listen in as Anastasia highlights the 3 key skills she hopes her students would take away to drive an innovative and sustainable career, and sheds light on the future of education and what she would do if she had a magic wand.

Anastasia also discusses her views on AI, it’s role in creating and collaborating, as well as her current projects and provides a range of resources on emerging textiles for further learning and inspiration. Find the links below to some of these fabulous resources.

If you would like to get your hands messy and explore emerging textile fields such as e-textiles, bio-fabrication of materials, soft robotics, digital fabrication, wearables, skin electronics, check out  Fabricademy program and start exploring today.

Fabricademy [https://textile-academy.org/] website

Program [https://textile-academy.org/program/] - course info

Insta - @fabricademy [https://www.instagram.com/fabricademy/]

Resources:

Entangled Life [https://www.merlinsheldrake.com/entangled-life] book

Why Materials Matter book [https://ma-tt-er.org/work/why-materials-matter/]

Biofabrication: From Fungi to Fashion podcast

Next Generation Material podcast

Abstract: The Art of Design Netflix series

Life in Colour Netflix series

Ellen McArthur Foundation [https://www.youtube.com/@EllenMacArthurFoundation] - Circular Economy

Connect with Mili Tharakan:

mili@militharakan.com

Insta: @noordinarycloth [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]

Ep 4. Unboxing Science to Make  Future Fabrics with Anastasia Pistofidou

Whether you love or hate mathematics, you are going to enjoy listening to this episode.

In this interview, Sophie Skach, a fashion designer and researcher, discusses her passion for interweaving the world of textiles with mathematics and technology, and her unique approach to creating catwalk collections and PhD research projects. She shares her journey on how she uses textiles as a medium to demystify mathematics and communicate complex mathematical concepts through her textile and fashion pieces.

Dive into Sophie’s world to learn about mathematical fashion and uncover the complex yet whimsical projects she shares with us. Get behind the scene insights about projects such as “No Input Textiles” (where textiles are used as musical interfaces), “Talking Jumpers” and “Whistling Jacket”.

Sophie explains the human-centric computing approach she adopted during her PhD, through the creation of sensor-equipped garments, and the relationship between fashion and social computing.

She challenges us, the listener, to embrace curiosity in a cross-disciplinary approach to design and learning. Listen in and find out how her curiosity about a mathematician, who shared the same birthday as her, influenced and shaped her career.

Resources:

Designing with Smart Textiles [https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/designing-with-smart-textiles-9781472569158/]

Smart Textiles for Designers [https://www.waterstones.com/book/smart-textiles-for-designers/rebecca-pailes-friedman/9781780677323]

Kobakant [https://www.kobakant.at/DIY/]

Sixty Symbols: videos [https://www.youtube.com/@sixtysymbols]

Connect with Mili Tharakan:

mili@militharakan.com

https://instagram.com/noordinarycloth/

Connect with Sophie Skach:

Website: www.sophieskach.com [http://www.sophieskach.com/]

Youtube videos [https://www.youtube.com/@sophieskach/videos] of No Input Textiles and other works

Instagram: @SophieSkach [https://www.instagram.com/sophieskach/]

Twitter: @SophieSkach

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wPQ5wvwAAAAJ

Ep 3: Knitting Mathematics and Musical Textiles with Sophie Skach

Textiles matter! It is the most ubiquitous and powerful material we live with - it has the power to fulfil both our senses and our soul. 

Join Mili Tharakan, a Smart Textiles designer and researcher with 20+ years experience, as she speaks to textile makers, engineers, bio-chemists, material scientists, artists, innovators and others who are pushing the boundaries of the Textile and Fashion industry by creating textiles that challenge the very meaning, role and function of fabrics as we know it today.

Through her conversations and insights with global experts, she brings alive the myriad facets of the world of Textiles - a world where there are no ordinary cloths and fabrics have the power to change us and our world.

So listen in and be inspired, learn, find connections and create extraordinary textiles...

Connect with Mili Tharakan:

Email: mili@militharakan.com

www.noordinarycloth.com [https://www.noordinarycloth.com/]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/noordinarycloth/]  I  Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjtharakan/]

Your support means the world to me, if you enjoyed this podcast why not consider buying me a coffee [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/noordinarycloth]

Credits

Cover art: Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Mili Tharakan

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