Nature as paradigm for sustainability in the textile and apparel industry

Imagine if clothing of the future would adapt, grow, self repair and change appearance. The relationship between wearer and garment would be that of symbiosis enabled by developments in material science that produce textiles able to imitate functionalities of living organisms rather than just the properties of natural fibres. We can expect clothing of the future to host an array of new properties that may interact or integrate with the body, self maintain, reproduce and self assemble to accommodate changes in our activity and environment. Materials and structures in nature already demonstrate these functions and can indicate ways of transferring the technology into clothing. Biomimetics can operate as a platform to accommodate these future requirements and provide a new perspective in the design and assembly of clothing systems.