Textiles design expert Stephanie Phillips has been appointed to the second of two newly created Sherman Jen Research Chair positions at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
KPU created the two Sherman Jen Research Chairs to conduct research that supports its polytechnic mandate through a generous donation from the Dr. Sherman Jen Education Foundation endowed through the KPU Foundation. Biologist Dr. Paul Adams was appointed the first Sherman Jen Research Chair.
As the Sherman Jen Research Chair in Next-Generation Design, Phillips will focus on biodegradable functional materials, exploring how enhanced natural materials that remain recyclable can be used in the apparel industry.
“The apparel industry at the minute is highly unsustainable. We make a lot of clothes that get worn very few times then go directly to landfill,” says Phillips, who joined the Wilson School of Design at KPU in 2014. “I’m going to be looking at materials based from nature, whether those are traditional materials such as cotton, linen, silks, and then looking at the modification of them using possibly biopolymers and coatings, things like that, but making sure that everything in the cycle can be disposed of in the same way.”
Some synthetic materials can survive more than 1,000 years in a landfill but the clothes made from them might last 40 years at best because of holes, tears and stains. In contrast, a waterproof cotton that could last 5-10 years would be in line with its functional life span and be recyclable, says Phillips.
“That’s the sweet spot of research,” she adds. “Finding the technology to really figure out how to do this. How to create something that will last that functional life span, but not too much longer. Not the extra 960 years.”
Phillips will work with partners in industry and other universities, looking at materials that might currently exist only as small samples to see if they can work on full garment prototypes. The work will be driven by industry needs, particularly those of the technical apparel Cascadian innovation corridor from Vancouver to northern California.
“Sustainability is of upmost importance to all these industries,” says Phillips. “A lot of the time materials are developed overseas, primarily in Asia, because that’s where the machinery and talent is. This would bring some of that experimental stuff closer to home.”
Students will take part, both in class and as research assistants, and Phillips plans to draw on knowledge from across KPU.
“I hope to be able to bring that experience mostly for our students and then also for being able to draw upon us as a polytechnic and really showcase what we can do because it’s pretty astounding,” she adds. “I look at some of the larger institutions where there’s more silos that we’re really lucky not to have. I can just walk over to physics.”
After graduating with a bachelor of applied arts in fashion design from Ryerson University – now Toronto Metropolitan – in 2003, Phillips worked for Springs Global and Le Chateau as a CAD and textile designer respectively before her questioning of industry waste led her to studying a masters focused on material sustainability at Central St. Martins in London, United Kingdom. She graduated in 2009 and worked as a researcher for a year before joining OCAD University in Toronto as an instructor.
At the Wilson School of Design, Phillips has taught textiles in the fashion design and technology, design for technical apparel, product design, and fashion marketing programs, but she’s excited to be getting back into research.
“I feel it’s a great time to really start digging deeper into that research so that the students can leave with a deeper understanding of sustainability and how they can create change as well,” she adds.
Sherman Jen Research Chairs come with a term of five years, renewable for an additional term, in key research areas for KPU.
“Stephanie Phillip’s design work is purposeful research that will help KPU meet UN sustainable development goals,” says Deepak Gupta, associate vice president, research, innovation and graduate studies. “And it is applied research that will provide great hands on learning opportunities for students.”