Ultrafabrics Inc. Scholarship Award

Growing up in Kyrgyzstan, I often saw valuable natural resources being overlooked. Discarded walnut shells were treated as waste, and large amounts of merino wool were underused or thrown away because they had little commercial value. Seeing these materials go to waste made me ask a simple question: What if design could give them a second life? That question inspired my passion for sustainable materials and continues to guide my work today. I am studying Fashion Industry and Merchandising at Drexel University, but my goal goes beyond designing clothing. I want to develop innovative materials that reduce waste, replace less sustainable alternatives, and create value from natural resources. For me, sustainability begins with changing the way we think about materials before a product is even made. One of my research projects focuses on underutilized Kyrgyz merino wool. Instead of treating lower-grade wool as a low-value material, I explored how it could be transformed into a durable, repairable textile for outdoor products. My goal was not only to reduce waste but also to support local wool producers and demonstrate that traditional natural fibers can become part of modern material innovation. More recently, I developed a bio-composite material from discarded Kyrgyz walnut shells. Using walnut shell powder, cellulose fibers, and a bio-based binder, I tested different formulations to understand how the material’s composition affected flexibility, strength, and durability. Through this project, I learned that sustainability is not simply about using more waste. It is about finding the right balance between environmental responsibility and material performance. Although these projects use different natural resources, they share the same purpose: transforming overlooked materials into valuable products. They have taught me that sustainable design is not only about reducing environmental impact but also about creating new opportunities for local communities and building circular systems where waste becomes a resource. In the future, I hope to continue developing sustainable materials with university laboratories and industry partners. My goal is to create materials that can be used in real products while supporting local industries in Kyrgyzstan and reducing dependence on non-renewable resources.

I would describe my interest in sustainable textile fibers as an "if you give a mouse a cookie" situation. My sister gave me a crochet kit as a gift before my junior year of high school. Then I decided I needed more yarn to practice. Then I decided I needed a yarn collection. After that, I realized that most yarns I could afford were unsustainable, so I wanted to learn how to make yarn. Which eventually led to me working towards a career in making sustainable textiles. The issues I found with my yarn are universal in nearly all parts of the textile and fashion industry. The most common synthetic fibers like polyester and acrylic are made from petroleum-based plastics and are damaging to the environment during production and as non-biodegradable waste. Cotton despite being natural is still not a great sustainable alternative (cotton production uses 25% of all insecticides and 11% of all pesticides used globally while requiring 29 tons of water per kilogram of cotton.) Many other natural fibers have similar issues or are simply more expensive. Not to mention the carbon emissions from transport during processing, manufacturing, and to the store are an issue for any fiber that isn’t sourced locally. Many textiles and clothing items go through multiple countries just to make it to the consumer. With those issues in mind, the journey to make yarn began. My main goal was to find a cost-effective natural textile fiber that could be produced close to the consumer (which was just me at the time) using fewer resources. Currently, my focus is on bacterial cellulose as a possible solution. Cellulose is a core component in most natural plant fibers and bacterial cellulose aligns with my goals. Companies such as Nullabor and Modern Synthesis already create textile products from bacterial cellulose. However, bacterial cellulose is still a relatively new material, and processing bacterial cellulose into yarn without expensive machinery or possibly harmful chemicals wasn’t on the table. Which led me to focus on sustainable textile fibers as a career path. There is a lot of room for improvement for sustainable and versatile solutions involving bacterial cellulose. Eventually, I would also like to branch out into designing other textile materials and maybe even single-use plastics through scientific research. From crochet to a career, I aspire to make the planet a better place long term. I hope to dedicate myself to the creation of thoughtfully designed materials that are sustainable in every way.