Taking place on Wednesday 23 September at Drapers’ Hall in London, UKFT Sustainability Conference 2026: Progress in Practice will explore how innovation is driving measurable change across the UK fashion and textile supply chain. The programme will cover textile recycling, circular business models, bio-based materials, low-impact colour and finishing, data-driven circularity, and supply-chain traceability.
The era of bio-based materials
Material innovators are developing new fibres from renewable resources and agricultural residues, addressing the environmental impact of conventional textiles while considering performance, scalability and compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure.
Tera Mira
Tera Mira is a London-based materials startup turning seaweed into stretch fibres, with the aim of designing plastic and waste out of fashion. The company is developing a fully bio-based fibre intended to work with existing spinning machinery, provide the stretch performance required by the industry and support a better end-of-life pathway.
Currently at the prototyping stage, Tera Mira is preparing to test its technology at pilot scale using fabric-manufacturing machinery. Its work seeks to address one of the remaining challenges in circular textile manufacturing: creating effective stretch without relying on conventional synthetic materials.
Jeanne, Co-Founder and CEO, will introduce Tera Mira’s technology and its route towards commercial production. She leads the company’s technical, commercial and fundraising strategy, drawing on experience in business, sustainability, clothes upcycling and research into the secondhand clothing trade in Kenya.
29acacia
29acacia transforms waste from banana cultivation into high-quality textile fibres. Banana plants fruit only once, after which they are typically felled and burned. Using proprietary technology, the company converts their rough and inconsistent fibres into soft, durable yarn, creating value from a by-product of the food industry.
According to 29acacia, its material has an 83% lower carbon footprint than organic cotton and uses 99.9% less water. Its transparent supply chain also creates an additional source of income for low-income farmers by paying them for material that would otherwise be treated as waste.
Sarah, Co-Founder and CEO, will discuss the development of 29acacia and its circular approach to materials and supply chains. A multi-founder and material innovator, she has worked across fashion, automotive design and wearable technology, contributed to UK parliamentary discussions on fashion’s transition, and serves as an advisory board member at Istituto Marangoni and a mentor at Imperial College London.
Fibe
Fibe is a materials science startup transforming agricultural residues, including potato and oilseed stems, into textile fibres for the mass market. By converting underused crop waste into higher-value materials, the company is developing a lower-impact alternative for the fashion and textile industry.
Its work spans fibre development, material testing, supply-chain validation and brand partnerships, helping move new materials from the laboratory towards industrial adoption. With an emphasis on sustainability and scalability, Fibe connects agricultural systems, textile manufacturing and commercial innovation.
Prem, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, will share how Fibe is bridging technical fibre development and commercial adoption. He leads work across partnerships, product strategy and scale-up, including collaboration with brands, manufacturers and other supply-chain partners on fibre quality, yarn testing and validation.
Rethinking chemistry: colour and finishing
The colouration and finishing of textiles can involve resource-intensive processes and persistent chemicals. These Innovation Spotlights will examine bio-based technologies designed to provide viable alternatives while meeting the creative and performance needs of the industry.
Sparxell
Sparxell uses plant-based cellulose to create biodegradable, dye-free pigments and plastic-free glitter and sequins. Inspired by colour structures found in nature, its technology offers drop-in alternatives to synthetic colourants while seeking to eliminate chemical toxicity from global supply chains.
The platform can produce a wide range of visual effects, from subtle shimmer to metallic-looking finishes. Spun out of the University of Cambridge, Sparxell is working with international brands and manufacturers and has been recognised through programmes and organisations including LVMH’s La Maison des Startups, ChangeNOW and Morgan Stanley.
Caroline Adams, Head of Sales for Fashion, will introduce Sparxell’s approach to rethinking colour in fashion supply chains. She brings more than 20 years of experience across textiles, packaging and sampling, supporting fashion businesses as they develop and launch new product concepts.
Demeter Bio
Demeter Bio is a London-based materials innovation company developing bio-based, PFAS-free solutions for the textile industry. Its flagship technology, Fibrepel, is a coating designed to provide water repellency and resistance to challenging liquids while reducing reliance on persistent fluorinated chemicals.
Inspired by natural systems and fundamental chemistry, Fibrepel is being developed for integration into existing textile-finishing processes. The technology aims to help manufacturers respond to tightening PFAS regulation without compromising performance or scalability.
Dr Adelya Khayrova, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, will present the science and development behind Fibrepel. She has more than eight years of experience in biomaterials research and has co-authored six biotechnology patents focused on natural polymers and sustainable materials.
The next frontier of traceability: science, data and proof
Reliable traceability increasingly depends on connecting supply-chain data with the physical material itself. Haelixa and Tailorlux will demonstrate how embedded marking technologies can help businesses substantiate claims, manage risk and strengthen transparency across complex value chains.
Haelixa
Haelixa provides a physical traceability and authentication system designed to support end-to-end supply-chain transparency. Its DNA-based markers are applied directly to a material and remain linked to it, creating a physical fingerprint that can be traced from the producer to retail and beyond.
By connecting verified materials with supply-chain information, the technology can help businesses validate product claims, meet regulatory requirements, reduce the risk of misrepresentation and maintain brand trust.
Gediminas Mikutis, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, will explain the development and implementation of Haelixa’s DNA-based traceability technology in the apparel and luxury sectors. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and has around ten years of experience implementing supply-chain traceability systems.
Tailorlux
Tailorlux develops technologies for the physical marking and identification of materials, enabling traceability across global supply chains. Its work includes systems using highly enriched man-made cellulosic fibres to mark natural fibres, alongside projects focused on the traceability of viscose.
These technologies are intended to strengthen transparency and accountability by allowing materials to be identified as they move through complex textile value chains.
Tobias Herzog, Managing Director, will share practical insights into implementing physical traceability at scale. He joined Tailorlux in 2018 and has led the company since 2020, contributing to the development of marking systems for natural and man-made cellulosic fibres.
From innovation to implementation
Together, these Innovation Spotlights will demonstrate how science, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are advancing lower-impact materials, safer chemistry and more credible supply-chain information.
Delegates will gain insight into the opportunities and practical challenges involved in moving new technologies from early development and pilot production towards adoption across the fashion and textile industry.
UKFT Sustainability Conference 2026: Progress in Practice takes place on Wednesday 23 September, from 9am to 6pm, at Drapers’ Hall in London. Further information is available through the link below.
