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B.C. Researcher Working on Creating the Perfect T-shirt from Lumber

B.C. Researcher working on Creating the Perfect T-shirt from Lumber
Stephanie Phillips testing a number of commercially sold t-shirts. (Castanet)

Stephanie Phillips and her team at Kwantlen Polytechnic University are working on creating the perfect t-shirt from an unexpected material: softwood lumber, a key resource in British Columbia’s economy. Phillips has collaborated with the University of British Columbia (UBC) to design a sustainable, high-quality T-shirt that sets a new standard in fashion. Phillips described the T-shirt as an “archetypical product,” known for its simplicity and universal appeal. Her research is part of broader efforts in B.C. to make the fashion industry more sustainable by reducing reliance on ancient forest products and exploring innovative, eco-friendly textiles.

The fashion industry currently faces a growing environmental challenge as the primary raw material, cotton, consumes 2.5% of the world’s arable land and vast amounts of water, while synthetic fibres dominate nearly two-thirds of global clothing production, requiring immense oil consumption. Cotton decomposes quickly, but synthetic materials like nylon and polyester can take centuries to break down, contributing to mounting waste. Researcher Stephanie Phillips aims to address the growing problem by developing sustainable textiles from local softwood lumber and waste cellulose like old cotton T-shirts.

Researchers have tested 11 cotton T-shirts priced between $4 and $400 for abrasion resistance, moisture management, yarn strength, and shrinkage using textile industry standards. Surprisingly, perceptions of quality did not always align with price. Heavier-weight fabrics were often seen as better, while more expensive T-shirts excelled in stitching quality. Stephanie Phillips aims to replicate the durability and softness of high-end T-shirts using sustainable softwood fibres.

Phillips has collaborated with Feng Jiang, a UBC researcher specializing in sustainable biomaterials, to develop cellulose-based textiles. While Jiang’s team has successfully created fibres by dissolving pulp and spinning them into filaments, they have only produced 60 grams so far—far from the kilograms needed for prototyping. Efforts to scale production include talks with a Chinese university to produce more material. Phillips hopes the technology will eventually commercialize, perhaps with the entry of local brands like Lululemon or Tentree, making Canada a notable player in the textile industry.

Source: Castanet