The fashion and textile manufacturing sectors are increasingly focusing on innovative raw materials that are renewable and biodegradable. Such materials not only mitigate environmental impacts but also prevent resource depletion. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a prime candidate, derivable from a variety of natural ingredients such as tea and coffee in addition to a sugar source in presence of the bacterial microorganisms. Numerous studies have established the potential of BC in future fashion, and some brands have already started to utilise BC as a sustainable raw material. The applications of BC ranges from basic clothing and accessories to wearable electronics. This paper discusses the scope of BC in fashion and textiles, positioning it as a sustainable alternative to conventional materials. We present a comprehensive scoping review, covering the unique properties of BC, the factors influencing its production, and its applications in textile, clothing, and footwear over the past decade. The advantages of BC in fashion are manifold: zero-waste manufacturing, reliance on renewable sources, diminished environmental pollution, and biodegradability. Furthermore, the use of BC aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 12, 13 and 15. However, there exist challenges pertaining to production costs, scalability, and quality, in addition to the imperative of harnessing food waste streams instead of contending for human food resources. Addressing these challenges is vital to cement BC’s position as a pivotal sustainable material in future fashion.

This letter presents a novel design of a uniplanar compact electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) wearable antennas. The unit cell of the EBG has a flexible fractal design with self-similar window-like structure, which can be easily fabricated at millimeter-scale. The fabricated EBG is a 3$\times$3 cell array laser-cut from adhesive copper foil on polyester fabric substrate. Results show that the gain and °10 dB bandwidth of a wearable coplanar waveguide (CPW) antenna backed by the proposed EBG are improved by 3 dB, and 40%, respectively, across the frequency range from 20 to 40 GHz. Backward radiation is also decreased by 15 dB, significantly reducing the potential health risk posed by the radiating antenna to the human wearer. Furthermore, on-body measurements show that the CPW-EBG antenna performances are not highly sensitive to human body proximity.

Throughout a garment’s life cycle, the use and end-of-life phases are crucial in determining its environmental impact, due to the resources that would be utilised and waste produced during maintenance and disposal. Consumption patterns differ among countries and cultures; however, in New Zealand, there is limited published information to date. To address this gap, an anonymous online poll was conducted examining laundry practices, lifetime wear events and disposal practices for woollen and synthetic-blend knitted jumpers, which are predominantly used as winter clothing in New Zealand. The survey revealed considerable differences in the ways woollen and synthetic garments were worn, maintained and discarded. Over its lifetime, although woollen garments were worn a greater number of times, they were washed less. At the end of life, both types of jumpers showed significant reuse percentages. This information is useful for accurately modelling the inventory needed for assessing the environmental implication of apparel, using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. By comparing New Zealand’s washing and disposal practises to those of other countries, this study found significant differences, highlighting the need for country-specific data for future LCAs.

Knitwear producers in New Zealand are looking for ways to deal with the uncertainties that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research considers the impact of the pandemic and its effects on the development and long-term survival of the knitwear sector. An anonymous online survey was undertaken among New Zealand’s established knitwear manufacturers, with seven taking up the survey. The respondent companies accounted for around half of the total workforce employed in the country’s knitwear sector. The data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. A SWOT analysis was conducted to place the sector in a global context, identifying necessary measures for future strategic planning. The findings revealed that the supply chain has been disrupted, some businesses have stalled, and the cost of obtaining raw materials has skyrocketed. Due to the impact of the pandemic on the tourism industry, revenues have fallen. As COVID-19 is an ongoing challenge, knitwear manufacturers need to rearrange their supply chains to increase local suppliers and explore new and innovative ways to engage with domestic customers.