Join us on this episode of No Ordinary Cloth as we welcome Madison Maxey, the visionary founder and CEO of Loomia, a pioneering company in e-textiles. Host Mili Tharakan sits down with Maddy to explore her incredible journey from fashion design at Parsons to creating cutting-edge, soft and flexible electronics that are now making way into the automotive and robotics industries.

In this episode, Maddy shares her story of resilience, innovation, and the highs and lows of building a business in a challenging industry. Loomia’s breakthrough LEL (Loomia Electronic Layer) technology is helping redefine how we think about integrating electronics with textiles for better electro-mechanical properties but the road hasn’t been easy. With limited funding and market interest in e-textiles, Maddy has successfully built a revenue-generating e-textile startup.

For many listeners working in emerging textile technologies, this conversation will resonate deeply. As you work to find that elusive product-market fit, early adopters, and the right market, Maddy’s insights offer a beacon of hope and practical strategies for navigating this complex journey.

We dive into the real challenges of turning prototypes into products, and Maddy highlights the role of perseverance and customer obsession in creating a successful business. She also shares career advice for aspiring e-textilers and her vision for the future of this rapidly evolving field. Discover the fascinating intersections of textile, electronics and engineering — and gain invaluable insights on what it takes to make an impact in e-textiles.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation packed with insights, strategies, mindsets for textile entrepreneurs.

Loomia: Website I Samples I Linkedin

Mili Tharakan: Linkedin I Instagram I Buy me a coffee

Contact me: No Ordinary Cloth

Recommended listening:

Ep 9. Disobebient Fabrics: A Journey in Smart Textiles with Linda Worbin

Ep 3. Knitting Mathematics and Musical Textiles with Sophie Skach

Ep 1. Light and Lace with Sara Robertson

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, I sit down with Nina and Amanda, the brilliant minds behind the Future Fabrics Expo, to dive deep into how they’re revolutionising the textile and fashion industries through an expo that drives sustainability and innovation. The Future Fabrics Expo has become a key platform in the industry, showcasing thousands of sustainable materials and driving discussions around environmental responsibility, circularity, and collaboration across disciplines to drive the change we want to see in the Fashion and Textile industry.

We explore the growing need for materials that have a positive impact on both the planet and the people working in the supply chain, and discuss how interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to scaling these innovations. Additionally, we take a hard look at the issue of overproduction and how brands need to rethink their business models to prioritise circularity and reduce waste.

Whether you’re a designer, innovator, or sustainability advocate, this episode is packed with insights about the future of sustainable fabrics and why the Future Fabrics Expo is a must-attend event for anyone in the fashion, textile, home and interiors industry.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Future Fabrics Expo is not just about showcasing eco-friendly materials—it’s about finding materials that have a net-positive impact on the environment and communities.
2. Cross-industry collaboration is vital for the future of fashion. Partnerships between designers, scientists, and manufacturers are driving textile innovations forward.
3. The fashion industry must address overproduction and overconsumption by adopting circular business models and focusing on sustainable growth.

Highlights:

• The origins of the Future Fabrics Expo and how it grew into one of the most anticipated events in the sustainable fashion calendar.
• Why materials with regenerative qualities are crucial for the future of the textile industry.
• The role of collaboration between fashion designers, material scientists, and sustainability experts in creating scalable solutions.
• The challenges and opportunities that come with shifting toward more sustainable practices in fashion, including circularity and on-demand manufacturing.
• A preview of what to expect at the Future Fabrics Expo in New York, happening on November 19th and 20th, 2024.
• Hear from attendees and exhibitors about their experience at the Future Fabrics Expo London 2024

Join me on my journey to craft the future of this podcast. I would love to hear your feedback and ideas for the podcast. Get in touch with me here: Contact me

The Sustainable Angle: Website I Linkedin I Instagram

Future Fabrics Expo NYC Edition, November 19 - 20th, 2024. Register here

Seminar Series 2024: Listen here

No Ordinary Cloth: Website I Linkedin I Instagram I Buy me a coffee

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

In this episode of the 'No Ordinary Cloth Podcast', we have Brett Cotten, co-founder of Arda Biomaterials, in discussion about their innovative leather alternative, New Grain made from the spent grain waste from breweries. Brett shares the establishment journey of Arda, from its founding in 2022, its recognition among Forbes 30 Under 30 and H&M's Global Change Award, to entering the competitive market with a sustainable solution.

He elaborates on his motivations for starting Arda, his educational background, and the concept of turning pain points into purposes, as described in his book 'Gene Trepeneur'.

The conversation extends to the complex challenges faced in the traditional leather industry, the innovative process behind New Grain, collaborative efforts with breweries, and insights from various accelerator programs.

Key highlights include:

1. Turning a pain point into purpose and highlights from his book Gene-trepreneur
2. The animal and plastic leather industry’s impact on the environment
3. New grain technology and process to turn spent grain into bio-leather
4. Challenges of material durability, scaling production of biomaterials, and the promising future of biomaterials in replacing conventional leather and beyond
5. Investor relations and challenges
6. Arda’s future material roadmap

Grab a cold beer, or your favourite drink, and get comfortable to learn all about taking waste from the craft beer industry and making it into gorgeous leather.

This is the third in a series of 6 episodes in collaboration with Fashion District, who are creating a hub for fashion innovation in east London. They connect fashion, technology, business and education to provide an ecosystem of support for fashion and textile startups that includes innovation networks, affordable space, business support and investment.

Accelerator resources: Entrepreneur First I Tech Nation I Carbon13 I Creative Destruction Lab

Connect with Arda Biomaterials: Website I Linkedin I Instagram

Book: Gene-treprenuer: Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset in STEM to Impact Sutainaibility

Connect with Fashion District: Website I Instagram

Connect with Mili Tharakan: Website I Linkedin I Instagram I Buy me a coffee

Email: mili@militharakan.com

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Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman