Join the University of Leeds and The Microfibre Consortium for a symposium marking the completion of an EPSRC-funded research project on fibrous microplastic (FMP) pollution on 12 March 2025 in Leeds, bringing together academic and industry experts to share insights, industry-backed findings, and policy recommendations.

Microplastics have been detected in all aquatic habitats, from deep oceans to polar ice-melt and can be found in the guts and tissues of aquatic animals. In fact, more than one third of the microplastics found in the world oceans are from textiles. All textiles (natural, regenerated, synthetic) release fibre fragments.

This event marks the completion of an EPSRC-funded research project, delivered by the UKRI, awarded to the School of Design at the University of Leeds and led by Professor Muhammad Tausif, to raise awareness of fibrous micro plastic (FMP) pollution among consumers and help the fashion and textile industry to gauge the impact of existing products in the supply chain.

Working together with The Microfibre Consortium and the internal team at the University of Leeds, data and insights from the project will be used to liaise with lobby groups and legislators to inform future policy.

This symposium brings together the research held at the School of Design and the Leeds Institute of Textiles & Colour on ‘Fragmented Fibres’ in collaboration with academic and industry partners across the world. It will offer end-of-project updates as well as deliver industry-backed insight on how best to quantify and combat fragmented fibre pollution.

Sessions include:

1015 – 1040 Impact of Textile Materials & Structures (Key findings from EPSRC Project) (Dr Abdul Jabbar & Alma Palacios Marin)
1040 – 1100 Quantification of Fragmented Fibres (Alice Hazlehurst)
1100 – 1115 Trends from Database of Industrial Testing (Elliot Bland, The Microfibre Consortium)
1115 –1130 Biodegradation of Cellulosic Fibres (Professor Richard Blackburn)
1130 – 1200 Fragmented Fibres – Present & Future (Panel Discussion) (Professor Tamara Galloway (University of Exeter)/ Elliot Bland/ Dr Mark Taylor/Professor Paul Kay)
1300 – 1330 Modelling (FEM/BEM) Approaches to Model Textile Properties, (Dr Haoqi Zhang (Sun Yat-Sen University, China), Dongze Wang, Dr Dongmin Yang (University of Edinburgh), Dr Gregory DeBoer)
1330– 1350 Particle Image Velocimetry to Study of Release of Fragmented Fibres (Ángel Palacios Marín (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile)

• When: Wednesday 12 March 2025:  10am – 2pm GMT
• Where: You can attend in-person (places highly limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis) at the Glass Studio, School of Design, University of Leeds, or online via Microsoft Teams.
• How to register: In-person delegates must register via Microsoft Forms, and online delegates must register via Eventbrite to secure their place.