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 of Biothread, and Dr. Catherine Bottrill, co‑founder of ACE (Affordable Clean Environment) Cotton, to explore how regenerative farming, microbial science and clean energy can transform the future of the world’s favourite fibre.

Together they unpack the small and large scale cotton farming industry and ask what it would mean for cotton to become a force for regeneration: rebuilding soil health, cutting emissions and creating real wealth and dignity for the people who grow it.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why cotton is still the “quiet king” of textiles – beloved by the richest and the poorest, and deeply bound up with power, politics and identity.
• The difference between conventional, organic and regenerative cotton – and why “regenerative” is as much a process and pathway as an end state.
• How Biothread uses microbial consortia and field trials to reduce synthetic fertiliser use, improve yields and strengthen soil health in cotton systems.
• The social realities behind cotton: farmer debt, crop failure, climate volatility and why soil degradation sits at the heart of many of these crises.
• ACE Cotton’s village‑level model in South Asia – combining solar irrigation, clean household energy and biodiversity projects to support just decarbonisation.
• How brand decarbonisation targets, farm‑level emissions and smallholder energy access can be aligned so climate action also builds resilience and opportunity.
• The role of data, measurement and software in proving impact – from input reductions and yield changes to carbon, water and livelihoods metrics.
• Farmer trust, pilots and “show and tell”: what it takes to introduce new technologies and financing models into communities where risk is already high.
• Why cotton must be protected as the most widely used natural fibre if we are to avoid a fully synthetic future for fashion.
• The power of storytelling in shifting cotton from “cheap commodity” to living system – and how Felix and Catherine draw on their own backgrounds to do that work.

Pilio Group ACE Village

BioThread

Fashion District London

Books on the history of cotton explore its role as a global commodity that shaped modern capitalism, industrialisation, and imperialism

1. Empire of Cotton: A Global History : Sven Beckert
2. A History of the Cotton Industry : Anthony Burton
3. Cotton (Textiles that Changed the World) : Beverly Lemire

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Recommended listening:

Ep 25. Turning Agri Waste to Cellulose Fibre

Ep 14. Farm to Fibre

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

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 Technologies, who shares how his team is pioneering an autonomous, stitchless tailoring platform that brings together robotics, advanced adhesives and what he calls “Physical AI.”

Cam is a seasoned entrepreneur and inventor with two decades of experience across automation, hardware, software, and apparel tech, he has built CreateMe from concept to industry pioneer, securing 25 patents for apparel automation innovations. Before CreateMe, Cam played key roles at DoubleClick (during its $3.1B sale to Google) and Group Commerce, a venture‑backed e‑commerce platform later acquired by Blackhawk Network. He began his career in investment banking at Allen & Company and holds an MA from Cambridge and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School, with further studies at MIT in advanced manufacturing.

Key takeaways

• Why apparel remains one of the most labor‑intensive, offshored industries in the world, employing tens of millions of people and relying heavily on manual sewing.
• What makes sewing so hard to automate: unstable textile physics, extreme variability in fabrics and fits, and the need for human‑like perception and dexterity in three‑dimensional space.
• How CreateMe’s bonded garment technology uses printed adhesive patterns that mimic stitch files, enable fully automated assembly, and can be made thermo‑reversible for disassembly and recycling.
• Where this platform is already being applied—starting with categories like women’s underwear—and the range of fabrics, constructions, and embellishments it can support, from fine silks to complex laminations.
• The vision for on‑shoring and “microfactories of the future”: compact, high‑throughput production cells capable of million‑unit annual output, shorter lead times, and closer proximity to key consumer markets
• What this shift could mean for inventory risk, responsiveness, sustainability, and the economics of producing apparel in high‑wage regions.
• Cam’s founder journey from investment banking and high‑growth tech and e‑commerce ventures to building CreateMe into an apparel automation pioneer with a growing portfolio of patents—and why textiles should be seen as critical infrastructure, not just fashion trends.

CreateMe

London Sewing Machine museum: www.museumslondon.org

🎧 Recommended listening:

Ep 6. AI for Zero waste fabric, Sustainability and Traceability in Textile Factories

Ep 13. 3D Weaving yarn to garment and zero inventory circular fashion

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Mili Tharakan: Linkedin I Insta I Website I Buy me a coffee

❤️ If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback.

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

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 spent over two decades at the intersection of functional design and environmental responsibility, championing the idea of sustainability through longevity — creating durable, meaningful clothing that stands the test of time.

Together, we unpack the idea of emotional durability: how designers can foster deeper connections between people and their garments, making us value what we wear more and waste less. Charles shares insights from his extensive experience working with brands like Patagonia, The North Face and Adidas as well as from his teaching, research, and outdoor pursuits that inform his hands-on approach to design.

It's an episode where you will laugh and learn from one of the legends of outdoor and performance wear.

Key Takeaways

• Designing for both physical and emotional longevity is one of fashion’s most sustainable acts.
• Storytelling, authenticity, and personal connection drive emotional durability.
• Consumers are more likely to repair, care for, and retain garments they’re emotionally attached to.
• The sportswear sector can lead in circular thinking by blending innovation with human-centered design.
• Longevity is not just about how long clothes last, but how long they matter.

Resources:

DO Lectures

A Climate of Truth by Mike Bernes-Lee

There is No Planet B by Mike Bernes-Lee

Performance Days

Connect with Charles Ross: LinkedIn

Connect with Mili Tharakan: LinkedIn I Insta I Website I Buy me a coffee

If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback.

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman