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A research student from Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Leicester (Æß²ÊÖ±²¥) has won a national award for showing how fungi can be used as a natural, energy-saving way of dyeing clothes.

Nalinee Netithammakorn, a PhD Fashion and Textiles Design researcher from Thailand, found that she could use the biodegradable enzymes in natural fungi to dye clothes, avoiding the use of conventional synthetic dyes.

Now, Nalinee’s work has been awarded a prestigious Green Gown Award, beating off competition from across the UK and Ireland.

The Green Gown Awards recognise commitment to the global sustainability agenda and proving the value that universities and colleges bring to the economy and society.

In the same ceremony Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ was Highly Commended in the Categories Next Generation Learning and Skills, for teaching international students English using the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, and Campus of the Future, in recognition of the £136 Campus Transformation Project

Organisers say Nalinee’s top award recognises Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s role ‘in enabling and empowering young people to tackle pressing global issues to ensure they have a better tomorrow’.

Following the announcement, Nalinee said: “I am very proud that I had this big dream, made it my passion, and it led to this achievement. 

“I could not have done it without the great support of my supervisory team in the Textile Engineering and Materials Research Group (TEAM). 

“I would like to express my appreciation to the supervision of Professor Jinsong Shen, Dr Claire Lerpiniere, and Dr Edward Smith. My special thanks are also extended to Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ and Karl Letten who believed in my project and supported my entry in the competition.”

Professor Shen said: “We are overjoyed with the fantastic news of Nalinee winning the prestigious Green Gown Award. We are immensely proud of her achievement within our TEAM Research Group in the development of biotechnology for sustainable textile coloration.” 

Dr Claire Lerpiniere added: “We are incredibly proud of Nalinee’s achievement, which is an innovative approach to the real issue of pollution and the carbon footprint in the coloration industry.

“Nalinee’s work reflects the ongoing commitment of TEAM to developing a sustainable textile industry.”

The dyeing process, which Nalinee has named ‘ENZCOLOUR’, uses multidisciplinary technology at a lower temperature than conventional dyes, resulting in the benefit of energy saving as well as a reduction in waste from materials and water.

Last year, Nalinee was highly commended by the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts (RSA) in its RSA Student Design Awards.

Nalinee said at the time: “Working on this project has led me to consider how I can contribute to circular fashion using innovative technology and creative thinking. The award from the RSA is very unexpected. When I entered, I never thought anything would come of it.

“The whole experience has shown me that my project is valuable, and it has definitely driven my passion to discover and develop further potential contributions in the future.”

Nalinee, who originally worked as a product developer and higher education instructor in fashion and textiles prior to pursing her doctoral study at Æß²ÊÖ±²¥, was motivated by traditional dyeing methods from her home country of Thailand.

She said last year: “I wanted to explore sustainable alternative methods to the current traditional dyeing methods that may have a negative impact on the environment due to a contaminated effluent and high energy use.

“Harsh chemicals used in conventional dyeing processes can contribute wastewater pollution in waterways. This led to my passion to improve sustainability in textile production.”