Burberry Material Futures Research Group Scoping Project

Scoping Project Exhibition, London Design Festival, 2018 (photo: Anna Winter)

A review of the state of the art in Sustainable Future Materials, Manufacturing and Consumer Experience.

At a glance

A review of the state of the art in the three themes of the Group
Synthesis of the state of the art into a research question for each theme
Public exhibition and symposium during London Design Festival 2018

Materials Science Research Centre
Research

2018 - 2018

Funding

Burberry Foundation

Expertise

Download BMFRG Scoping Project Catalogue PDF

Three BMFRG themes - consumer experience, manufacturing, materials

Photo: Anna Winter
Sustainable Future Consumer Experience Theme - Unseen Explorer T-shirts; SensoreeFleXo; Levi’s Commuter x Google Jacquard; Wear and Seek by Peut-Porter

Photo: Anna Winter
Sustainable Future Manufacturing Theme - Shima Seiki; Oluwaseyi Sosanya; Comme des Machines

Photo: Anna Winter
Sustainable Future Materials Theme - Tube with Fibre, James MacDonald, Imperial College London

Photo: Anna Winter

More information

The challenge

The Scoping Project marked Phase 1 of the Burberry Material Futures Research Group (BMFRG), during which a comprehensive review was undertaken of state of the art in the three Themes of the group - Sustainable Future Materials, Sustainable Future Manufacturing, and Sustainable Future Consumer Experience. The insights from the Scoping Project informed the development of the Group’s research directions and main research questions for Phase 2.

Our approach

We commissioned a number of experts to review the state of the art in the discrete topics relevant to the three Themes. This review work culminated in scoping reports, an exhibition of examples of the state of the art, and a symposium at the Village Hall, Battersea Power Station, London, during London Design Festival 2018.

For the Future Sustainable Materials theme, we reviewed the state of the art in - Biological Materials, Biomimetic Textile Innovations, Materials Circularity, and Smart Matter - which resulted in the formulation of the research question: Is it possible to design and develop circular materials (fibres and flexible materials) from food industry by-products and waste?

For the Future Sustainable Manufacturing theme, we reviewed the state of the art in - Digital Craft, Materiality of 3D Printing, 3D Manufacturing Technologies, Localised Production and Dynamic Demand, Alternative Production Distributions, Digitally Reconfiguring Industry, Robotics in Manufacture - which resulted in the formulation of the research question: What technologies, knowledge and capabilities need to be developed to build a local/regional manufacturing ecosystem that would enable SME apparel brands/designers to design and manufacture the circular life of garments?

For the Future Sustainable Consumer Experience theme, we reviewed the state of the art in - New Product Cultures, Mass Customization and On Demand Production, Immersive Experiences, Smart Wearables, Material & Immaterial - which resulted in the formulation of the research question: What types of consumer experience incite demand for recycled materials?