Rephonic
Artwork for No Ordinary Cloth: Textile innovation, emerging technology and sustainability

No Ordinary Cloth: Textile innovation, emerging technology and sustainability

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

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.

Textile innovation is shaping the future of materials, manufacturing, sustainability, and the products we use every day.

Most conversations about the textile industry focus on fashion trends, finished products, or sustainability claims. Others focus on breakthro... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes35Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Fashion & BeautyArtsDesign

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for No Ordinary Cloth: Textile innovation, emerging technology and sustainability

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we step into very different territory. We leave the factory floor and the chemistry lab behind, pull on our wellies, and head into the wetlands. Our guest is Julian Ellis-Brown, CEO and Co-founder of Ponda — the biomaterials company ... more

YouTube

We’re used to thinking about sustainability at the point of purchase: what fibres a garment is made from, whether it’s certified or recycled. But the truth is, what we do with a garment after we buy it – how we wash it, whether we repair it, and what... more

YouTube

We tend to think a running jacket performs because of its fabric. In reality, much of what we experience – the colour, the way water beads on the surface, how quickly it dries – comes from an invisible layer of chemistry added after the fabric is mad... more

YouTube

Have you taken a close look at the label on your running jacket? It probably mentions a list of materials such as nylon, polyester, elastane — but what it doesn't say is that these materials are born from fossil fuels, made with toxic chemistry, and ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Julian Ellis-Brown
CEO and co-founder of Ponda
Ponda
Episode: Ep 34. From Wetlands to Wardrobes: What If Fashion Could Help Heal the Planet? with Julian Ellis-Brown
Charlotte Krist
In charge of Strategic Business Development at United Repair Centre
United Repair Centre
Episode: Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain
Shay Sethi
CEO of Ambercycle
Ambercycle
Episode: Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain
Wajahat Hussain
Founder and CEO of Biorestore
Biorestore
Episode: Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain
Jun Kamei
CEO and founder
Amphicolour (Amphicolour)
Episode: Ep 32. Part 2 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Dye, Finish and Construction with Jean Francoise Benoit, Jun Kamei and Matthais Feossel
Jean François Benoit
Development Engineer
Resortecs
Episode: Ep 32. Part 2 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Dye, Finish and Construction with Jean Francoise Benoit, Jun Kamei and Matthais Feossel
Matthias Foessel
CEO and founder
Beyond Surface Technologies
Episode: Ep 32. Part 2 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Dye, Finish and Construction with Jean Francoise Benoit, Jun Kamei and Matthais Feossel
Hitesh Manglani
CEO and founder of SuperCarb
SuperCarb
Episode: Ep 31. Part 1 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Fibre and Fabric with Hitesh Manglani, Jeanne Begon-Lours and Khorceska Batyrova
Jeanne Begon-Lours
CEO and co-founder of Tera Mira
Tera Mira
Episode: Ep 31. Part 1 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Fibre and Fabric with Hitesh Manglani, Jeanne Begon-Lours and Khorceska Batyrova

Host

Mili Tharakan
Host of No Ordinary Cloth, textile researcher and innovator

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 37 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 States10 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 Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners describe the show as accessible and engaging, with warm conversations that reveal personal stories behind technical topics.
Many note the host's clear storytelling and ability to make complex textile tech approachable for a broad audience.
Audiences appreciate practical, technology-forward discussions that connect to real-world brands and impact.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#240
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#35
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#48
France/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#164
Australia/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#89
Mexico/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#133
Poland/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain
Q: What are the main challenges you face when scaling these solutions with big brands?
Charlotte notes consumer awareness and adoption as a major hurdle; Shay points to integrating new molecular materials into multi-tier supply chains and educating consumers; Wajahat highlights the regulatory environment and market adoption pressures as key obstacles.
Ep 33. Part 3 I Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Care, Repair and Recycle with Charlotte Krist, Shay Sethi and Wajahat Hussain
Q: Tell us a little about yourself, your company, and what consumers should check before buying a running jacket.
Charlotte describes United Repair Centre as a high-scale repair operation with a social mission, emphasizing durability and design for repairability as key buying signals. Shay highlights Ambercycle's tech to reclaim and recycle textiles into base molecules for new fibers, and Wajahat discusses Biorestore's laundry-care innovations that extend garment life.
🌱 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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

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

This show sits at the crossroads of textiles, technology, craft, and sustainability. Across episodes, conversations orbit innovative materials (bio-based, recycled, seaweed- or wood-derived), high-tech manufacturing (automation, onshoring, digital product passports), and circular practices (repair, recycling, upcycling) within fashion. Guests range from material scientists and chemists to startup founders and industry practitioners who are actively redefining how textiles are designed, produced, and reused. The host guides technical yet accessible discussions that illuminate real-world collaborations with brands, supply-chain innovations, and the emotional and societal dimensions of sustainable textiles. The series stands out for weaving pr... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Haptic & Hue
2. The Textile Nerd Podcast
3. Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably
4. No Such Thing As A Fish
5. The Clearing with Katherine May

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 3 years ago and published 35 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Julian Ellis-Brown
2. Charlotte Krist
3. Shay Sethi
4. Wajahat Hussain
5. Jun Kamei
6. Jean François Benoit
7. Matthias Foessel
8. Hitesh Manglani

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days