Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) researcher Stephanie Phillips is investigating the future of fabric — starting with a T-shirt.
As the Sherman Jen Research Chair in Next-Generation Design, she studies biodegradable functional materials, exploring how recyclable fabric can be used in the apparel industry.
“Clothes don't actually have a very long functional lifespan,” says Phillips, who teaches product and fashion design at the Wilson School of Design at KPU. “I generally give it a maximum of a few decades. Think of the coat that you stole from your grandfather as a teenager. From the time he had it until you finished wearing it, that’s about 40 years.”
The problem, according to Phillips, is that clothes long outlive their function.
“If you're looking to make something out of nylon, for example, you’re going to get a biodegradation of about 500 years. For polyester, it’s 1,000 years. We've heard about all the bad things that happen to our old clothes and all the places they end up, so we need to find some solutions.”
To avoid the problems associated with existing materials, Phillips and her research partners at the University of British Columbia (UBC) are attempting to build new materials. Their first goal is to make a T-shirt entirely from natural fibres found in B.C.
“We’re trying to create a new T-shirt from B.C. softwood. So, what we decided to do is look at what T-shirts exist and how we can make ours as good or better.”
Phillips scoured the existing T-shirt market — from the least expensive fast fashion, to luxury designer labels.
“From a previous study, we know that people associate cotton with quality. So, we’ve taken 11 cotton T-shirts — spanning from $4 to $400 — and we are looking to understand how they’re made and what they’re made out of.”
Phillips is using advanced technology to put the shirts through rigorous testing — while considering abrasion resistance, material strength, stretch and recovery, yarn count and pilling.
The research is already busting some myths.
“What surprised me is that the fabric is fairly similar across price points. The difference is in the sewing,” she explains. “We found that the finer – nicer – fabric doesn’t always hold up. Surprisingly, the heavier, coarser fabric feels the best to our touch. It’s reality versus perception.”
Data from the materials study will continue to advance made-in-B.C. sustainability research for the fashion industry.
“Canada has a high standard of sustainability and manufacturing. Developing an entirely B.C.-made material can really take us into the future,” says Phillips.
Students are also involved in research at Wilson School of Design, allowing them to apply practical knowledge and skills while advancing innovation as part of their undergraduate polytechnic university experience.
Klara Joubert, a fourth-year international student in the Bachelor of Product Design program, moved from South Africa for this hands-on, applied learning opportunity.
“The lab is my happy space at school. It’s such a supportive and positive environment,” says Joubert. “As a research assistant, it’s been interesting to see that the $400 T-shirt is not necessarily the best.”
For Phillips, teaching and research go hand-in-hand.
“I hope to show my students that it’s possible to do things differently, so that someday they can make better choices inside their design practices. That way, the innovation that happens in the lab doesn't just die inside a research paper.”
Phillips’ research is possible thanks to a $3-million donation from the Dr. Sherman Jen Education Foundation. The endowment allows KPU to appoint research chairs for a term of five years, renewable for an additional term.