Dr Feng Jiang & Huayu Liu
Senior Researcher, PhD student UBC
Clean filaments must move from testing to clothing and we are doing it
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a global research university known for advancing science, sustainability, and real-world innovation. Through interdisciplinary research that bridges materials science, design, and industry collaboration, UBC is developing cleaner, scalable solutions for sectors such as textiles, fashion, and advanced manufacturing. The university’s work increasingly focuses on reducing environmental impact while translating laboratory breakthroughs into practical applications with global relevance.
In an exclusive interview with Fibre2Fashion, UBC Senior Researcher Dr Feng Jiang and PhD student Huayu Liu highlighted that their team has developed a cleaner approach to producing cellulose-based textile filaments, significantly reducing chemical and solvent use compared with conventional rayon manufacturing. With early textile trials already completed, the research points to a scalable pathway for more responsible fibre production across fashion, home textiles, and other fibre-intensive industries.
Rayon is widely used but often criticised for its environmental footprint. How your new method differs from conventional rayon manufacturing?
Conventional rayon production depends on fully dissolving cellulose using large amounts of chemicals and energy. Our method is much cleaner. Instead of completely dissolving cellulose, we start with mechanically produced microfibrillated cellulose and use only a small amount of dissolved cellulose to form continuous filaments.
As a result, solvent use can be reduced by up to 70 per cent compared with conventional rayon manufacturing. This makes our approach more sustainable and environmentally friendly for producing cellulose-based filaments.
What were the biggest technical challenges in reducing chemical use while maintaining fibre quality?
The biggest challenge was making microfibrillated cellulose spinnable. Microfibrillated cellulose is very attractive because it requires minimal chemical processing, but on its own it does not flow well and tends to break during filament formation, which makes continuous spinning difficult.
We addressed this by adding dissolved cellulose that acts like a natural glue, helping the filaments hold together during spinning and making the process more stable.
Could this approach help address some of the long-standing environmental criticisms of regenerated fibres like rayon and viscose?
One major environmental concern with regenerated fibres is their reliance on chemical solvents. In our system, we rely largely on mechanical fibrillation rather than chemical modification, the overall environmental footprint of filament preparation can be reduced.
In addition, all solvents are efficiently recovered and reused in a closed loop, which significantly improves process circularity.
In that sense, it offers an alternative direction that could help address some of the core issues that have shaped these long-standing criticisms.
What implications could this innovation have for fashion, home textiles, and other fibre-intensive industries?
This work demonstrates that it is possible to produce high-performance textile filaments without relying on traditional, chemical-intensive processes. We hope this innovation will encourage the fashion and textile industries to adopt cleaner, more responsible methods of textile filament production.
The research is also closely connected to local resources. In the University of British Columbia (UBC), we are surrounded by forests and guided by strong sustainability values. By making better use of locally sourced materials, this work highlights the potential to create higher-value products while giving back to the communities and environments from which these resources originate.
Ultimately, we hope this innovation supports a more responsible approach to filament production, one that delivers long-term benefits for both society and the environment.
What are the next steps in scaling this process from laboratory testing to industrial production?
Right now, we are working on scaling the process beyond the lab. We are collaborating with Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where our textile filaments have already been made into a small piece of woven fabric. That shows the material can move beyond testing and into real textile structures.
The next step is to keep increasing production and push toward making actual clothing.
Are you exploring partnerships with manufacturers or brands to pilot this fibre at a larger scale?
We are actively exploring ways to move this work forward and are very open to collaborations.
There is growing interest from both the market and consumers in cleaner textile filament options, which is creating space for new materials to be tested beyond the lab. Working with filament manufacturers or textile producers would be an important next step, allowing us to evaluate scalability, cost, and real-world performance.
How do you hope this research will influence the way everyday clothing and home textiles are developed over the next 5-10 years?
We hope people increasingly recognise the environmental benefits of textiles made with cleaner filament production, and that these materials become a more familiar choice in everyday clothing and home textiles.
At the same time, we will keep working on this research to support more sustainable ways of producing filaments. Over time, that could help cleaner filaments become part of how everyday textiles are made.
How do collaborations between scientists and designers help accelerate sustainable material adoption?
Collaborations between scientists and designers help transform sustainable materials from laboratory results into products that people want to use. Scientists focus on understanding material performance, such as strength, durability, and environmental impact, while designers translate that knowledge into forms, textures, and functions that are both attractive and practical. This makes sustainable materials not only functional, but also desirable.
In addition, collaboration enables more effective sharing of knowledge and resources.
By combining scientific expertise with design insight and practical testing, teams can move more efficiently from research to real world applications, accelerating the adoption of sustainable materials.
What roles do universities like UBC play in bridging the gap between lab research and real-world textile applications?
At universities like UBC, researchers have the freedom to explore high risk ideas that may not yet be ready for industrial production. This early-stage research is essential for developing new concepts that can later be translated into real technologies.
Universities also act as platforms that bring together researchers, industry partners, and other stakeholders through workshops, conferences, and collaborative projects. These interactions help different groups understand each other’s needs and accelerate meaningful collaboration.
In addition, universities play a key role in training students. By educating the next generation of scientists and engineers with a strong foundation in both fundamental knowledge and practical applications, universities help ensure that new ideas can move beyond the lab and into real world use.
What kind of policy or industry support is needed to encourage adoption of cleaner fibre-production technologies?
Cleaner and more sustainable filament production has really become a shared global goal. Many countries are working to reduce carbon emissions, and textiles are a big part of that picture.
At the same time, consumers are paying more attention to how their clothes are made and are looking for products that feel cleaner and more responsible, which is pushing companies to take cleaner filaments more seriously.
In the future, we hope to see clearer regulations specifically for clean filaments production, along with financial support to help companies make the transition, and a real willingness from industry to invest in updating their technologies.
Interviewer: Shilpi Panjabi
Published on: 12/03/2026
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
