No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft and sustainability

Mili Tharakan
  • 5.0 (5)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

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 innovator and researcher with 20+ years of 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 fabrics that challenge the very meaning, role and function of textiles 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. Listen and be inspired, find new connections and create extraordinary textiles... Connect with Mili Tharakan:  Linkedin  I  Instagram  I  Website Email: mili@militharakan.com Your support means the world to me, if you enjoyed this podcast why not consider buying me a coffee Credits Cover art: Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

  1. Ep 34. From Wetlands to Wardrobes: What If Fashion Could Help Heal the Planet? with Julian Ellis-Brown

    MAY 15

    Ep 34. From Wetlands to Wardrobes: What If Fashion Could Help Heal the Planet? with Julian Ellis-Brown

    In this episode, we step into very different territory. We leave the factory floor and the chemistry lab behind, pull on our wellies, and head into the wetlands. Our guest is Julian Ellis-Brown, CEO and Co-founder of Ponda — the biomaterials company turning wetland restoration into one of fashion's most exciting new fibres. We explore why wetlands are one of the most carbon-rich and biodiverse ecosystems on earth, why centuries of drainage have turned them from the planet's greatest carbon store into a significant carbon emitter, and how a farming practice called paludiculture is now allowing farmers across the UK and Europe to bring degraded wetlands back to life — while still earning a living from the land. At the heart of Ponda's work is BioPuff — a plant-based insulation made from the seed fibres of the bulrush, designed to replace the goose down and synthetic polyester fills found in the puffer jackets and winter coats hanging in most of our wardrobes. Down raises animal welfare and traceability concerns, while synthetic fills are fossil-fuel derived — and BioPuff offers a genuinely carbon-negative alternative, traceable from plant to puffer, and landing in jackets on the market this autumn winter. Julian also shares details of Ponda's newly opened crowdfunding round — a rare opportunity to invest directly in a company regenerating real wetlands and reshaping one of fashion's most overlooked material categories. What We Cover Why wetlands matter - Wetlands store 550 gigatons of carbon Paludiculture — the farming model you've never heard of, and why governments across Europe are now backing it with billions BioPuff — the plant-based insulation made from bulrush, grown on regenerated wetlands, that is set to land in jackets on the market this autumn The carbon story — how BioPuff achieves a carbon footprint of -42.76 kg of CO2e per kilogram of product, making it genuinely carbon negative From pilot plant to fashion runways — how Ponda went from a university challenge competition to collaborations with Stella McCartney, Berghaus and Parley for the Oceans The crowdfunding round — why Ponda is inviting the public to invest in their mission, and how you can get involved Julian's personal story — the moment curiosity about nature became a company, and what keeps him goingAbout our guest: Julian Ellis-Brown is the CEO and Co-founder of Ponda, formerly known as Saltyco. Julian studied Innovation Design Engineering at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, where he and his three co-founders began developing what would become BioPuff. Ponda closed a $2.4 million seed round in 2025 and is now commercialising BioPuff for the global fashion market. Ponda: Website  I  Insta   I   BioPuff sample Crowdfunding round — register your interest Mili Tharakan:  LinkedIn   I   Insta   I  Buy me a coffee Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback. Recommended listening: Ep 29. Cotton, Soil & Solar: Re-imagining the “Quiet King” of Textiles Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 8m
  2. Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain

    MAY 11

    Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain

    We’re used to thinking about sustainability at the point of purchase: what fibres a garment is made from, whether it’s certified or recycled. But the truth is, what we do with a garment after we buy it – how we wash it, whether we repair it, and what happens when it’s finally worn out – is just as important as what it’s made of. In this final episode of Clean Run, host Mili Tharakan takes our now‑familiar running jacket into the rest of its life. We’ve already rebuilt its fibres and detoxed its chemistry. Now we follow it into washing machines, repair studios and recycling plants to see what it really takes for a jacket to have not just one life, but many. Guests: Charlotte Krist, Strategic Business Development,  United Repair Centre: building industrial‑scale, brand‑integrated repair services that extend the physical and emotional life of garments, and make “repair is the new cool” a real consumer option, not just a slogan. Shay Sethi, CEO and Founder, Ambercycle: developing molecular recycling technologies that separate complex fibre blends at the base‑molecule level and regenerate polyester into new, high‑quality yarns – creating a genuine end‑of‑life pathway for garments that are currently landfilled or burned. Wajahat Hussain, CEO and Fuunder, BIORESTORE: turning a single laundry cycle into a way to resurface worn fabrics, remove pilling and restore colour and hand‑feel, so garments look and feel almost new.In this episode you’ll learn: How BIORESTORE’s enzyme‑based treatment can “exfoliate” damaged fibres, remove pilling and revive colour and softness in a single wash, effectively resetting certain signs of wear. How high‑quality repair, delivered at scale by United Repair Centre, can extend both the physical life and the emotional value of garments, turning damage into part of a garment’s story rather than its end. How Ambercycle’s molecular regeneration process separates and depolymerises polyester from mixed‑fibre garments to create new, high‑quality feedstock that can replace virgin polyester. What a realistic circular journey for a running jacket could look like when better care, repair and recycling infrastructures work together – and why design and collection systems are just as critical as breakthrough technology.Across all three episodes, Clean Run turns an ordinary running jacket into a closed looped narrative – from the moment its fibres are imagined to the moment they are reborn – and invites us to see that, with the right choices, every garment we wear can be part of a story that never really ends. The Clean Run series is inspired by the Performance Without Toxicity exhibition, curated by The Mills Fabrica in partnership with Goldwin, open until 26th June 2026 at Fabrica X in London. Entry is free. Clean Run is a three-part series. Part 1 explores fibres and fabric and Part 2 dives into the dyes, coatings, and construction of the running jacket. Connect with me: LinkedIn  I  Insta  I  Buy me a coffee Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 36m

  3. APR 23

    Ep 32. Part 2 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Dye, Finish and Construction with Jean Francoise Benoit, Jun Kamei and Matthais Feossel

    We tend to think a running jacket performs because of its fabric. In reality, much of what we experience – the colour, the way water beads on the surface, how quickly it dries – comes from an invisible layer of chemistry added after the fabric is made. Those dyes, coatings and finishes are where some of the most persistent and problematic substances in performance wear quietly sit. In this second episode of Clean Run, host Mili Tharakan takes the same high street running jacket from Episode 1 and goes one layer deeper – beyond fibres into finishing and construction. She asks: can we rebuild this jacket without toxic chemistry, and design it so that its end of life is already built in? To answer that, Mili is joined by three guests who are each tackling a different “invisible” part of the jacket Guests: Jean François Benoit, Development Engineer, Resortecs – inventing Smart Stitch (heat‑dissolvable sewing threads) and Smart Disassembly (industrial ovens that unpick garments at end of life), so complex multi‑material products can be taken apart automatically and sent to the right recyclers. Jun Kamei, Founder & CEO, Amphico – developing Amphicolour, a near‑waterless colouration system that embeds pigment at the yarn stage, and Amphitex, a PFAS‑free waterproof, breathable membrane based on polyolefins, designed to be recyclable. Matthias Foessel, Founder & CEO, Beyond Surface Technologies – creating high‑performance textile finishes under the miDori brand, using bio‑based oils and waxes such as microalgae instead of petrochemicals, and replacing PFAS‑based DWR with palm‑oil‑free green chemistry that runs on existing mill equipment. In this episode: The hidden environmental cost of conventional textile dyeing and why it drives emissions and water pollution. How dope‑dyed yarns and colour‑mixing at weave stage can cut water, energy and CO₂ dramatically What PFAS “forever chemicals” are, why they’re used in outdoor fabrics, and why they’re a problem.  Emerging PFAS‑free waterproof membranes and the challenges of scaling The role of textile finishes in performance – and their reliance on petrochemical chemistry How bio‑based finishes from sources like microalgae can match conventional performance Why sewing thread blocks garment recycling and what smart disassembly can change How Smart Stitch enables clean separation of complex garments into recyclable material streams The cost, procurement and policy barriers slowing adoption of these innovative solutionsThe Clean Run series is inspired by the Performance Without Toxicity exhibition, curated by The Mills Fabrica in partnership with Goldwin, open until 26th June 2026 at Fabrica X in London. Entry is free. Clean Run is a three-part series. Part 2 explores the hidden chemistry and construction of the jacket, Part 3 will explore innovations in care, repair and end of life of the jacket. Hit subscribe to be notified of next episode Connect with Mili Tharakan: Linkedin  I  Insta  I  Buy me a coffee Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash. Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestrama

    1h 47m
  4. Ep 31. Part 1 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Fibre and Fabric with Hitesh Manglani, Jeanne Begon-Lours and Khorceska Batyrova

    APR 8

    Ep 31. Part 1 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Fibre and Fabric with Hitesh Manglani, Jeanne Begon-Lours and Khorceska Batyrova

    Have you taken a close look at the label on your running jacket? It probably mentions a list of materials such as nylon, polyester, elastane — but what it doesn't say is that these materials are born from fossil fuels, made with toxic chemistry, and designed in a way that makes them almost impossible to recycle or break down at the end of their life. In this first episode of Clean Run, host Mili Tharakan takes an ordinary running jacket bought from the high street and deconstructs it — layer by layer, fabric by fabric — to ask: what would it look like if we rebuilt it from scratch, without the petrochemicals and toxins that are so embedded in performance wear today? To answer that question, Mili is joined by three founders who are each replacing one of the jacket's core fossil-fuel derived fibres with something radically different. Guests: Hitesh Manglani, CEO & Founder of SuperCarb — processing sugar molecules from seaweed and food waste into a high-performance polyester alternative that is inherently antibacterial, flame retardant, and free from microplastic shedding. Jeanne Begon-Lours, CEO & Co-founder of Tera Mira — developing the world's first fully bio-based elastane alternative made from seaweed, designed to replace the hidden villain that blocks recycling in almost every garment made today. Khorceska Batyrova, CEO & Co-founder of OzoneBio — turning wood waste and nutshells into bio-based Nylon 66, producing the same high-performance fibre without the toxic adipic acid manufacturing process that releases nitrous oxide — a gas 300 times more damaging than CO₂. Not petrochemicals but organic waste is the new raw material. Wood bark, nutshells, seaweed, citrus peels — the feedstocks these founders are using are things the world produces in enormous quantities and currently throws away. The running jacket of the future may well start in a forest floor or a food processing facility. In this episode: Why nylon, polyester and elastane are so dominant in performance wear — and what makes them so hard to walk away from How bio-based materials can match the performance of petroleum-based fibres — and where the trade-offs still exist The chicken-and-egg problem of scale that every material innovator faces with large brands What it actually takes to bring three new materials together into a single garment Honest reflections on favourite failures, founder wellbeing, and what keeps these innovators goingThe Clean Run series is inspired by the Performance Without Toxicity exhibition, curated by The Mills Fabrica in partnership with Goldwin, open until 26th June 2026 at Fabrica X in London. Entry is free. Clean Run is a three-part series. Episode 2 explores the hidden chemistry of finishing — the dyes, coatings, and construction decisions that can undermine even the cleanest fibre Connect with Mili Tharakan:  LinkedIn  I  Insta  I  Buy me a coffee  I  Website If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback and it helps others discover this podcast Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 31m
  5. 🌱 Ep 30. Behind the Label: How Data is Rewriting the Rules of Fashion with Jothi Kanayala and Atnyel Guedj (x Fashion District

    APR 2

    🌱 Ep 30. Behind the Label: How Data is Rewriting the Rules of Fashion with Jothi Kanayala and Atnyel Guedj (x Fashion District

    This is a special episode in partnership with Fashion District London What if you could trace every thread of a garment – from the cotton field to the shop floor and all the way to the recycling centre – and understand its true cost? Not just the financial cost, but the environmental, social, and human cost? That's the question at the heart of this episode. The fashion supply chain is one of the most complex systems in the world, and for decades it has operated largely in the dark. But a new generation of technology companies is changing that – gathering data, building transparency, and helping brands finally understand what is actually happening behind their labels. We are joined by Jothi Kanayalal from Clothing Connected and Atnyel Guedj from Made2Flow, who together offer a fascinating window into what it means to truly know your supply chain. What We Cover in This Episode Why the fashion supply chain has operated in the dark for so long – and why that is rapidly changing Why a garment label saying "Made in Bangladesh" tells us almost nothing – and why two thirds of a product's environmental impact lies in the invisible upstream tiers What Clothing Connected does day-to-day: onboarding suppliers across all tiers, automating compliance, replacing spreadsheets and emails with a real-time single source of truth What Made2Flow does: collecting "activity data" from facilities worldwide, running automated lifecycle assessments (LCAs), and turning incomplete, fragmented data into reliable environmental impact results The biggest barriers slowing brands' adoption of supply chain technology – from ROI pressure and fragmentation to digital literacy across developing nations The regulations brands can no longer ignore: Digital Product Passports (DPP), ESPR, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and the Green Claims Directive How AI is beginning to transform data validation and verification How Clothing Connected and Made2Flow complement each other in a brand's data ecosystemKey Takeaways Most brands have visibility only to tier 4 (garment manufacturer) and partially tier 3 (fabric mill). Tier 2 and tier 1 upstream data – spinners, ginners, raw material sources – remains largely invisible Without supply chain data, brands cannot ensure ethical production, avoid harmful substances like PFAS, calculate EPR taxes accurately, or prepare for Digital Product Passports Clothing Connected operates as a cryptographic ledger – more energy efficient than blockchain – and is multilingual, serving over 3,000 clothing suppliers Made2Flow's LCA engine is specialised in fast-moving consumer goods and textiles, able to work with incomplete data and fill gaps reliably using years of accumulated process knowledge The brands that invest in data infrastructure now will be far better positioned when DPP and ESPR regulations arrive for textiles in 2027 This is no longer only a sustainability conversation – it is a financial and business imperativeConnect with: Jothi Kanayalal   I   Atnyel Guedj Connect with me:  LinkedIn  I  Insta  I  Buy me a coffee Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 15m
  6. 🌱 Ep 29. Cotton, Soil & Solar: Re‑imagining the "Quiet King" of Textiles with Catherine Bottrill and Felix Bartlett (x Fashion District)

    FEB 16

    🌱 Ep 29. Cotton, Soil & Solar: Re‑imagining the "Quiet King" of Textiles with Catherine Bottrill and Felix Bartlett (x Fashion District)

    This is a special episode in partnership with Fashion District London. In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, we go back to where the cotton story truly begins: in the soil and in small farming communities. Mili is joined by Felix Bartlett, founder of Biothread, and Dr. Catherine Bottrill, co‑founder of ACE (Affordable Clean Environment) Cotton, to explore how regenerative farming, microbial science and clean energy can transform the future of the world’s favourite fibre. Together they unpack the small and large scale cotton farming industry and ask what it would mean for cotton to become a force for regeneration: rebuilding soil health, cutting emissions and creating real wealth and dignity for the people who grow it. In this episode, we talk about: Why cotton is still the “quiet king” of textiles – beloved by the richest and the poorest, and deeply bound up with power, politics and identity. The difference between conventional, organic and regenerative cotton – and why “regenerative” is as much a process and pathway as an end state. How Biothread uses microbial consortia and field trials to reduce synthetic fertiliser use, improve yields and strengthen soil health in cotton systems. The social realities behind cotton: farmer debt, crop failure, climate volatility and why soil degradation sits at the heart of many of these crises. ACE Cotton’s village‑level model in South Asia – combining solar irrigation, clean household energy and biodiversity projects to support just decarbonisation. How brand decarbonisation targets, farm‑level emissions and smallholder energy access can be aligned so climate action also builds resilience and opportunity. The role of data, measurement and software in proving impact – from input reductions and yield changes to carbon, water and livelihoods metrics. Farmer trust, pilots and “show and tell”: what it takes to introduce new technologies and financing models into communities where risk is already high. Why cotton must be protected as the most widely used natural fibre if we are to avoid a fully synthetic future for fashion.  The power of storytelling in shifting cotton from “cheap commodity” to living system – and how Felix and Catherine draw on their own backgrounds to do that work.Pilio Group ACE Village BioThread Fashion District London Books on the history of cotton explore its role as a global commodity that shaped modern capitalism, industrialisation, and imperialism Empire of Cotton: A Global History : Sven Beckert A History of the Cotton Industry : Anthony Burton Cotton (Textiles that Changed the World) : Beverly LemireConnect with me: LinkedIn  I  Buy me a Coffee Recommended listening: Ep 25. Turning Agri Waste to Cellulose Fibre Ep 14. Farm to Fibre Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 11m
  7. Ep 28. AI Robotics for Fabrics and the Future of Stitchless Garment Making with Cam Myers

    FEB 3

    Ep 28. AI Robotics for Fabrics and the Future of Stitchless Garment Making with Cam Myers

    This episode goes deep into the complexity of how our clothes are cut and sewn today and what it will take to rebuild apparel manufacturing for the 21st century. Mili Tharakan is joined by Cam Myers, Founder, CEO and Board Director of CreateMe Technologies, who shares how his team is pioneering an autonomous, stitchless tailoring platform that brings together robotics, advanced adhesives and what he calls “Physical AI.” Cam is a seasoned entrepreneur and inventor with two decades of experience across automation, hardware, software, and apparel tech, he has built CreateMe from concept to industry pioneer, securing 25 patents for apparel automation innovations. Before CreateMe, Cam played key roles at DoubleClick (during its $3.1B sale to Google) and Group Commerce, a venture‑backed e‑commerce platform later acquired by Blackhawk Network. He began his career in investment banking at Allen & Company and holds an MA from Cambridge and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School, with further studies at MIT in advanced manufacturing. Key takeaways Why apparel remains one of the most labor‑intensive, offshored industries in the world, employing tens of millions of people and relying heavily on manual sewing. What makes sewing so hard to automate: unstable textile physics, extreme variability in fabrics and fits, and the need for human‑like perception and dexterity in three‑dimensional space. How CreateMe’s bonded garment technology uses printed adhesive patterns that mimic stitch files, enable fully automated assembly, and can be made thermo‑reversible for disassembly and recycling. Where this platform is already being applied—starting with categories like women’s underwear—and the range of fabrics, constructions, and embellishments it can support, from fine silks to complex laminations. The vision for on‑shoring and “microfactories of the future”: compact, high‑throughput production cells capable of million‑unit annual output, shorter lead times, and closer proximity to key consumer markets What this shift could mean for inventory risk, responsiveness, sustainability, and the economics of producing apparel in high‑wage regions. Cam’s founder journey from investment banking and high‑growth tech and e‑commerce ventures to building CreateMe into an apparel automation pioneer with a growing portfolio of patents—and why textiles should be seen as critical infrastructure, not just fashion trends.CreateMe London Sewing Machine museum: www.museumslondon.org 🎧 Recommended listening: Ep 6. AI for Zero waste fabric, Sustainability and Traceability in Textile Factories Ep 13. 3D Weaving yarn to garment and zero inventory circular fashion Connect with me Mili Tharakan:  Linkedin  I  Insta  I  Website  I  Buy me a coffee ❤️ If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback. Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 25m
  8. Ep 27. Sustainability Through Longevity: Emotional Durability in Fashion with Charles Ross

    JAN 7

    Ep 27. Sustainability Through Longevity: Emotional Durability in Fashion with Charles Ross

    In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, we sit down with Charles Ross, Performance Sportswear Design Lecturer at the Royal College of Art, to explore what durability and sustainability looks like in the fashion and sportswear industries. Charles has spent over two decades at the intersection of functional design and environmental responsibility, championing the idea of sustainability through longevity — creating durable, meaningful clothing that stands the test of time. Together, we unpack the idea of emotional durability: how designers can foster deeper connections between people and their garments, making us value what we wear more and waste less. Charles shares insights from his extensive experience working with brands like Patagonia, The North Face and Adidas as well as from his teaching, research, and outdoor pursuits that inform his hands-on approach to design. It's an episode where you will laugh and learn from one of the legends of outdoor and performance wear. Key Takeaways Designing for both physical and emotional longevity is one of fashion’s most sustainable acts. Storytelling, authenticity, and personal connection drive emotional durability. Consumers are more likely to repair, care for, and retain garments they’re emotionally attached to. The sportswear sector can lead in circular thinking by blending innovation with human-centered design. Longevity is not just about how long clothes last, but how long they matter.Resources: DO Lectures A Climate of Truth by Mike Bernes-Lee There is No Planet B by Mike Bernes-Lee Performance Days Connect with Charles Ross: LinkedIn Connect with Mili Tharakan: LinkedIn I Insta I Website I Buy me a coffee If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback. Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

    1h 17m
See All (35)

Trailer

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

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 innovator and researcher with 20+ years of 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 fabrics that challenge the very meaning, role and function of textiles 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. Listen and be inspired, find new connections and create extraordinary textiles... Connect with Mili Tharakan:  Linkedin  I  Instagram  I  Website Email: mili@militharakan.com Your support means the world to me, if you enjoyed this podcast why not consider buying me a coffee Credits Cover art: Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Information

You Might Also Like