No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging tech, craft and sustainability Mili Tharakan

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

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

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

🎉  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

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

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