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Artwork for No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft and sustainability

No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft and sustainability

Mili Tharakan
Circular Fashion
Smart Textiles
Fashion District London
Anciela
Clothing 2.0
Textile Waste
Clothing Poverty
Textiles
Cotton
Biothread
Emotional Durability
Circular Design
Sustainability
Createme
Sustainability and Circularity
Secondhand Clothing
Community Building
ACE
Better Cotton Initiative

Textiles matter! It is the most ubiquitous and powerful material we live with - it has the power to fulfil both our senses and our soul.

Join Mili Tharakan, a Smart Textiles designer and researcher with 20+ years experience, as she speaks to textile makers, engineers, bio-chemists, material scientists, artists, innovators and others who are pushing the boundaries of the Textile and Fashion indust... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes30Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsDesignFashion & Beauty

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Artwork for No Ordinary Cloth: Intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft and sustainability

Latest Episodes

This is a special episode in partnership with Fashion District London.

In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, we go back to where the cotton story truly begins: in the soil and in small farming communities. Mili is joined by Felix Bartlett, founder o... more

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This episode goes deep into the complexity of how our clothes are cut and sewn today and what it will take to rebuild apparel manufacturing for the 21st century. Mili Tharakan is joined by Cam Myers, Founder, CEO and Board Director of CreateMe Techno... more

YouTube

In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, we sit down with Charles Ross, Performance Sportswear Design Lecturer at the Royal College of Art, to explore what durability and sustainability looks like in the fashion and sportswear industries. Charles has sp... more

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Special episode by No Ordinary Cloth x Fashion District

In this episode, Mili speaks with Sol Escobar, founder of Give Your Best, and Anoli Mehta, founder of Circular Threads, two inspiring women tackling fashion’s social and environmental challenge... more

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Recent Guests

Catherine Bottrill
Co‑founder of Affordable Clean Environment (ACE)
ACE
Episode: 🌱 Ep 29. Cotton, Soil & Solar: Re‑imagining the "Quiet King" of Textiles with Catherine Bottrill and Felix Bartlett (x Fashion District)
Felix Bartlett
CEO and founder of Biothread
Biothread
Episode: 🌱 Ep 29. Cotton, Soil & Solar: Re‑imagining the "Quiet King" of Textiles with Catherine Bottrill and Felix Bartlett (x Fashion District)
Cam Myers
Founder and CEO of CreateMe
CreateMe
Episode: Ep 28. AI Robotics for Fabrics and the Future of Stitchless Garment Making with Cam Myers
Charles Ross
Senior figure in performance sportswear design; lecturer at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art; former roles at Patagonia, The North Face, Adidas
Episode: Ep 27. Sustainability Through Longevity: Emotional Durability in Fashion with Charles Ross
Anoli Mehta
Founder and CEO of Circular Threads
Circular Threads
Episode: Ep 26. Clothing Poverty, Pre-loved South Asian Wedding Fashion and Building Community for Change with Anoli Mehta and Sol Escobar (x Fashion District)
Sol Escobar
Founder and co-CEO of Give Your Best
Give Your Best
Episode: Ep 26. Clothing Poverty, Pre-loved South Asian Wedding Fashion and Building Community for Change with Anoli Mehta and Sol Escobar (x Fashion District)
Amanda Parkes
Fashion scientist and material/biotech leader; CTO of Mothership Materials; former Chief Innovation Officer at Pangaia
Mothership Materials; Pangaia; MIT Media Lab
Episode: Ep 25. Turning Agri Waste to Cellulose Fibre, High-Tech Naturalism and the Making of a Fashion Scientist with Amanda Parkes
Brad Seese
Vice President of Operations at Clothing 2.0
Clothing 2.0
Episode: Ep 24. Medicine-Embedded Textiles: Reimagining Fabric for Pain Relief and Healing with Bradley Seese
Jennifer Droguett Espinosa
Colombian and Chilean sustainable fashion designer and creative director
Anciela
Episode: 🌱 Ep 23. Stitching together South American Folklore, Migration and Community with Jennifer Droguett Espinosa (x Fashion District)

Host

Mili Tharakan
Host of No Ordinary Cloth; textile researcher and innovator focusing on the intersection of textiles, emerging technology, craft, and sustainability.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 35 ratings
  • Accessible and engaging!

    Although I am no expert in the fields of textiles, tech, or sustainability, this podcast is engaging, the conversations warm and accessible, and I love how the host draws out personal stories to help the listener connect with the guest.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JamAshPan
    United States7 months ago
  • Inspiring!

    This podcast has really helped me get inspired and feel more connected to the textile industry in a way that seems tangible. I love hearing about the newest and potential technologies that already exist, or currently are on the rise. With microplastics overflowing the earth, I believe sustainable textile materials is an extremely important topic going forward.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    caeruulean
    United States2 years ago
  • Excellent & informative show

    I love this podcast, Mili’s show captures the conversations about textiles and technology that you wish you were in the room to hear about!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    shinerhilldesign
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Perfect Intersection of Textiles & Tech

    Whether you have a textile background, a STEM background, or some combo of both, this podcast is for you! The interviews have been so interesting and really brings the technology and textiles in such a unique perspective. I have learned about so many interesting people and work being done by them. Couldn’t recommend this podcast enough!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Michelle_P_O
    United States2 years ago
  • Fascinating journey into the world of Textiles!

    What a wonderful find. Everything you never knew about the world of textiles presented in a captivating way. Definitely recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Juyt76446
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans highlight the show's ability to connect textile history with modern tech.
Commenters appreciate practical takeaways and real-world examples from guests.
Many commend clear storytelling that makes complex topics feel approachable.
Audience notes tangible inspiration and interest in new textile technologies.
Listeners praise accessibility and warmth of conversations, even for non-experts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#231
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#169
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#148
Germany/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#224
Australia/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#30
South Korea/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#50
Switzerland/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

🌱 Ep 23. Stitching together South American Folklore, Migration and Community with Jennifer Droguett Espinosa (x Fashion District)
Q: What was your vision when you started Anciela, and how has it evolved over the years?
The brand centers on four pillars—culture, sustainability, community, visibility—and Jennifer explains how these guide every project and decision, evolving from a lean, grassroots start to a purpose-driven heritage-driven label.
🌱 Ep 23. Stitching together South American Folklore, Migration and Community with Jennifer Droguett Espinosa (x Fashion District)
Q: Tell us about yourself, Jennifer. Where are you from, your background, and when did you make London your home?
Jennifer describes growing up across Colombia and Chile, the impact of migration on identity, and how city and culture shaped her path into fashion, leading to London where she pursued internships and built her career.
🌱 Ep 21: Circular Fashion in Action: Insights From Luxury to Highstreet Brands with Laetitia Forst, Patrick McDowell and Philippa Grogan (x Fashion District)
Q: What is your vision for the fashion industry in the next 10 years and how do circular principles fit into that?
The industry will likely move toward regulated extended producer responsibility, deeper integration of digital product passports for traceability, and business models built around service and experience rather than pure product sales, with circular design nested inside broader sustainability efforts.
🌱 Ep 21: Circular Fashion in Action: Insights From Luxury to Highstreet Brands with Laetitia Forst, Patrick McDowell and Philippa Grogan (x Fashion District)
Q: Can you explain a little bit about circular business models and how brands are incorporating or experimenting with them?
Circular business models extend a garment's life through resale, rental, and repair, allowing products to circulate among users and reducing demand for new production; brands experiment with these models at different scales, balancing consumer acceptance with logistics, and measuring impact through pilots and KPIs.
Ep 19. Now and the Future of Smart Textiles with Victoria Nickerson
Q: What are some of the biggest supply chain gaps you've observed in smart textiles, and how do integrators help?
Gaps include identifying the right component providers and navigating the product development process; integrators help bridge from R&D through prototyping to commercial production, addressing logistics, regulatory, and compliance challenges.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across recent episodes, the discussions center on how textiles intersect with technology, sustainability, and circular design. Topics range from regenerative cotton farming, soil health, and supply-chain transparency to stitchless garment manufacturing, emotion-driven durability, and the use of high-tech materials and smart textiles. The show often features founders, researchers, and brand leaders unveiling practical innovations, field trials, and ecosystem-building efforts that aim to decarbonize fashion, reduce waste, and empower communities. Noteworthy throughlines include storytelling for certification and mass balance, nearshore manufacturing, and the social dimensions of sustainable fashion, from heritage craft to circular business mo... more

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Textile Nerd Podcast
2. Textile Innovation
3. Up First from NPR
4. Good Hang with Amy Poehler

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 3 years ago and published 30 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Catherine Bottrill
2. Felix Bartlett
3. Cam Myers
4. Charles Ross
5. Anoli Mehta
6. Sol Escobar
7. Amanda Parkes
8. Brad Seese

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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