As the global textile industry accelerates its transition toward sustainability, advanced materials are emerging as powerful enablers of change. From graphene-enhanced textiles and wearable technologies to circular manufacturing systems and intelligent materials, innovation is reshaping how textiles are designed, produced, and used.
Few researchers have contributed more to this transformation than Professor Nazmul Karim, a Bangladeshi-born scientist whose pioneering work spans graphene, smart textiles, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable material systems.
In this exclusive interview with Fashion Business Journal, Professor Karim, Professor of Sustainable Future Textiles and Head of Research at the University of Southampton, as well as Visiting Research Professor at the National University of Singapore, shares his journey from Bangladesh to the forefront of global textile research and discusses how advanced materials can help build a more sustainable, resilient, and technology-driven future for the industry.
FBJ: You are from Bangladesh, yet your talent, research, and academic influence have reached the global stage. Could you share your journey from Bangladesh to becoming a leading researcher in sustainable textiles, graphene, and advanced materials?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: My journey began in Bangladesh, where textiles are deeply connected to the economy, culture, and livelihoods of millions of people. Studying Textile Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Textiles gave me a strong technical foundation and inspired me to think about how science and engineering could transform the future of the textile industry.
After working in industry at BASF, I moved to the UK to pursue fully-funded research at The University of Manchester. During my PhD and later post-doctoral work at the National Graphene Institute, I had the privilege of working alongside Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Kostya S. Novoselov on pioneering graphene and two-dimensional (2D) materials research. This experience exposed me to cutting-edge science and the power of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Also Read : Decoding the New U.S. Section 301 Tariff Regime & Bangladesh’s RMG Positioning
One of the major breakthroughs from that period was developing the world’s first fully inkjet-printed graphene-based wearable e-textiles and highly scalable manufacturing methods for graphene-enhanced textiles. Since then, my research has expanded towards sustainable future textiles, wearable healthcare technologies, circular textile recycling, smart composites, and advanced digital manufacturing.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to establish and lead several major research initiatives, including the Graphene Applications Laboratory at UWE Bristol and the Centre for Future Textiles at the University of Southampton. These platforms have enabled multidisciplinary collaborations between academia, industry, healthcare partners, and policymakers to accelerate innovation in sustainable and intelligent textile technologies.
Today, I serve as Professor of Sustainable Future Textiles and Head of Research at the University of Southampton, where I lead research on sustainable materials, wearable e-textiles, advanced manufacturing, and circular textile systems. I am also a Visiting Research Professor at the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM) at the National University of Singapore, where I collaborate with leading international researchers on next-generation intelligent materials and future textile technologies. Together, these roles allow me to build global partnerships and contribute to shaping the future of sustainable and smart textiles worldwide.
FBJ: What are the most significant transformations you have witnessed in textile innovation over the last decade?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: The textile sector has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last decade. Traditionally, textiles were largely passive materials focused on aesthetics and protection. Today, textiles are becoming intelligent, connected, multifunctional systems capable of sensing, communication, energy harvesting, thermal regulation, and healthcare monitoring.
One of the most exciting developments has been the integration of advanced materials such as graphene, conductive polymers, nanomaterials, and bio-based materials into textile platforms. We are also seeing major advances in digital manufacturing technologies such as inkjet printing, additive manufacturing, and scalable functional coating technologies.
Equally important is the shift toward sustainability and circularity. The industry is increasingly focusing on fibre-to-fibre recycling, low-energy manufacturing, bio-based materials, and environmentally responsible product design. I believe the future textile industry will be defined not only by functionality and performance, but also by sustainability, circularity, and resource efficiency.
FBJ: How can advanced materials contribute to reducing the environmental footprint of the textile and apparel sector?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: Advanced materials can contribute significantly to sustainability by enabling textiles that are lighter, stronger, more durable, multifunctional, and longer-lasting. This can reduce material consumption, energy use, and waste generation across the product life-cycle.
For example, graphene and other 2D materials can introduce conductivity, sensing, heating, or energy-storage functionality at extremely low material loading levels. Bio-based polymers, natural fibres, biodegradable materials, and recyclable composite systems can also reduce reliance on fossil-based materials.
However, sustainability is not only about the material itself. Manufacturing technologies are equally critical. Digital textile printing and precision coating technologies can dramatically reduce water consumption, chemical waste, and energy use compared with conventional textile processing.
My research increasingly focuses on combining advanced functionality with sustainable eco-design principles, including circular manufacturing, recyclability, repairability, and life-cycle assessment.
FBJ: What technical barriers still exist in integrating electronics seamlessly into fabrics?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: One of the biggest technical challenges is balancing electronic functionality with the intrinsic properties of textiles. Fabrics are soft, flexible, breathable, stretchable, and washable, whereas conventional electronics are typically rigid and fragile.
To create truly wearable electronic textiles, we need materials and manufacturing approaches that maintain comfort while delivering reliable electrical performance. Key challenges include wash durability, mechanical reliability under repeated deformation, stable conductive pathways, scalable manufacturing, power supply integration, and long-term device stability.
Another major issue is sustainability. Many current e-textile systems are difficult to recycle because they combine multiple incompatible materials and electronic components. Developing circular and environmentally responsible e-textiles remains one of the most important research challenges for the field.
FBJ: How do you see consumer demand evolving for wearable technologies and intelligent textiles?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: Consumer demand is becoming much more sophisticated. People no longer want wearable technologies that simply demonstrate technical novelty. They want products that are useful, comfortable, stylish, reliable, sustainable, and seamlessly integrated into everyday life.
Healthcare and wellbeing will likely drive the largest growth areas, particularly remote health monitoring, sports performance, rehabilitation, elderly care, and personalised medicine. Intelligent textiles could also play important roles in defence, occupational safety, energy systems, and smart environments.
At the same time, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability, privacy, and ethical manufacturing. Future wearable technologies will therefore need to balance high performance with sustainability, affordability, comfort, and trust.
FBJ: What advice would you give textile manufacturers in emerging economies that want to adopt advanced materials, smart textiles, and next-generation manufacturing technologies?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: Emerging economies already possess enormous strengths in textile manufacturing, supply chains, and technical expertise. The next step is moving from volume-based manufacturing toward innovation-driven and value-added production.
My advice would be to invest strategically in research capability, skills development, digital manufacturing, and university–industry collaboration. Companies do not necessarily need to transform overnight. Starting with scalable innovations such as digital printing, sustainable materials, smart coatings, process automation, and functional finishing can already create major competitive advantages.
Also Read : Innovation, Evidence and Execution: How TIE Can Shape Bangladesh’s Apparel Future
Equally important is investing in people. Future textile manufacturing will increasingly require interdisciplinary expertise spanning materials science, electronics, AI, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.
Sustainability should also be viewed not as a regulatory burden, but as a major opportunity for long-term competitiveness in global markets.
FBJ: Many countries in the Global South are still positioned mainly as manufacturing bases rather than innovation leaders. How can they build stronger research ecosystems and become active contributors to high-value textile innovation and technology development?
Prof. Nazmul Karim: Many countries in the Global South already have world-class manufacturing capabilities. The challenge now is building stronger innovation ecosystems around those manufacturing strengths.
This requires long-term investment in universities, interdisciplinary research centres, pilot manufacturing facilities, innovation hubs, and international collaborations. Governments and industries must support not only production capacity but also fundamental and applied research.
I also believe stronger industry–academic partnerships are essential. Innovation happens most effectively when researchers, manufacturers, designers, engineers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs work together.
Importantly, countries in the Global South should not simply follow existing innovation models. They should develop technologies and solutions that address their own regional priorities, including sustainability, affordable healthcare, circular manufacturing, climate resilience, and resource efficiency.
I strongly believe the next major breakthroughs in sustainable textiles, wearable technologies, and advanced materials can emerge from countries that successfully combine manufacturing capability with research excellence and innovation culture.