Peter Broom
Co-founder and Technical Innovator Meryl Fabrics
2023 will be an exciting year for textiles
A pioneer in hi-tech sustainable materials, in 2022 Meryl Fabrics was presented with 11 winner and finalist trophies by various international and UK bodies in recognition of its major achievements in sustainability with textile innovation. Driven by problem solving, the award-winning Meryl Fabrics uses Nylstar Hydrogen bonding technology to enhance the molecular structure of fibres, seal-in microplastics within the yarn, and improve the durability of garments. Its continual innovation in Meryl Eco Dye offers a waterless dyeing process, saving thousands of litres of water during manufacture of fabric as it re-engineers the present of apparel. Meryl Fabrics seeks to replace cotton with its exceptionally soft touch fabrics that feature natural stretch and moisture management properties that are designed to be recycled and offer other businesses a fully circular model in one place. Speaking to Fibre2Fashion, Meryl’s Co-founder and Technical Innovator Peter Broom talks about circularity in the textile industry.
How would you describe the current demand for textile fabrics in the UK and Europe?
Despite a slight decline during the pandemic, demand is growing in the overall textiles market and doesn’t look like reversing soon. There has been a massive increase in consumer interest in sustainable materials, prompting a change in focus by manufacturers as established businesses search for a way to implement more sustainable practices into their existing processes without any significant improvement in the way they have always done things. For innovative brands, this opens up opportunities to enter the market with their new technologies, and there’s a definite undercurrent of disruption in the industry. 2023 will be an exciting year for textiles as things have got to change because of the damage being inflicted on the environment. At Meryl Fabrics, we have created a sustainable business to help bring the necessary change, and we are trying to make a traditional business greener. We addressed the problems that existed and created a solution.
What are the major factors influencing the above trend?
There’s an ever-growing necessity for more environmentally sustainable solutions, which can be supplied with transparency to avoid the issues around greenwashing. Given the recent happenings around the pandemic, there has also been a driving force to move away from disposable protective wear. This issue needs to be addressed to reduce the environmental pollution it creates. It’s the opinion of the experts that there needs to be circularity in the design of future products, something that Meryl Fabrics has built a business around.
What is the adoption rate of circular technologies and innovations in textiles globally?
There’s a strong desire to explore new solutions to move away from the easy options, especially around circularity. However, the world of textiles has been doing what they have done for a long time; this has driven the market into a constant price war and made it quite challenging to infiltrate existing processes and buying relationships. Regulatory frameworks that promote innovative solutions will help push new solutions into the market. SMEs are needed to create these changes. While there is a strong need to change how we have historically produced textiles, social pressures, environmental strategies and some financial incentives could be critical in getting adoption amongst the more prominent players. Meryl Fabrics has curated a simple return-for-remanufacture process that can be easily implemented into any business. We have also developed a solution for a B2C market with a returns process.
Why do you think the rate of adoption of new circular textile solutions is slow?
The industry lacks leadership for any change as it would affect the bottom line, and that has been my experience over the last two years. There is a need for more time and resources to thoroughly investigate every opportunity, instead of choosing to follow the same old practices, which we have witnessed too often. We aim to reduce the negative impact of our industry on the world’s natural resources. The need is for every individual to be informed of how we can change the current business-as-usual mindset. The best part here is that there are alternatives available today.
When we shop, we want a choice. We want items in different sizes and sometimes colours. Some of these items are not used and, despite best efforts, are not returned to be resold, adding to the very problem we are trying to fix. This is just one example of a change that is necessary if we open our minds to a more environmentally friendly textile solution. It’s not an accessible market to change quickly, and there’s a lot to be considered in most textile-using businesses when implementing new solutions. The only thing that we, as manufacturers, can do is to provide the necessary education and ensure easy-to-introduce processes for the industry.
What are the top three circular technologies incorporated at Meryl Fabrics?
The circular solution within the industry needs to address the following:
•Natural Resources used
•Environmental Impact
•Waste
Meryl Fabrics identified these issues at the point of creation; we have no drain on natural resources, including water. We use no water to produce our fabrics. The environmental impact is minimal as we use returned products as raw material for new, and all production waste is introduced into the system to be remade into the fabric. The fabrics are made for longevity, to last longer than conventional materials, and at the end of a product’s life, we take it back to make it again in a full circle.
What new technology are you working on?
We are constantly developing and innovating, keeping sustainability at the core of everything we do. We infuse a silver ion technology into our fibres before the spinning of the yarn, so it remains active in all our fabrics throughout their operational life. Since it is not a coating, it cannot be destroyed or washed away. This opens up many new applications in different sectors, including healthcare and defence, alongside traditional clothing. Bringing emerging technologies into our sustainable products will allow other industries to benefit from greener practices.
What are the initial hiccups in adopting circular technologies?
The problem here again comes back to tried and tested processes. Most people are considering the circular economy as bringing back old items and reusing them. We need people to look beyond that and realise that things can be remade as new, using old materials. Separation is usually challenging, but Meryl Fabrics doesn’t have that problem as everything is made from the same material, so it stays within the circle.
The textile industry is geared around a linear production model. We need to educate customers on the possibility of this becoming circular. Achieving circular process is not a pipedream, as we use it and continue to manufacture products we can reuse. Another common misconception is that this cannot be done on a large scale, e.g., for workwear and bedding, which is not true, and is an area of focus for Meryl. Ironically, we need the operation on a large scale to ensure we get raw materials back into the loop.
How aware are the end-users of textile products about circular textile production?
I think awareness is increasing, and more focus is being pushed onto the circular economy. People are getting used to the term ‘circular economy’. As previously mentioned, the appetite is there to do this properly, and the issues lie mainly in how to get there and trusting the processes being put forward. The future could be very bright.
Published on: 19/12/2022
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.
