The researcher at the 2C2T centre of the UMinho School of Engineering leads five PRR projects focused on decarbonisation and the creation of smart textiles. From cancer treatment dressings to fashion collections made from recycled fishing nets, innovation in Minho is anticipating new European sustainability requirements.
The Portuguese sea has always been synonymous with food and leisure, but for researcher and lecturer Diana Ferreira, from the Department of Textile Engineering at UMinho, the ocean is the laboratory of the future. As part of several strategic agendas of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), such as the Blue Bioeconomy Pact, the researcher is transforming what was once considered marine waste into high added-value raw materials.
The sea as a source of sustainable raw materials
The idea that the sea could be the industry’s ‘new cotton’ is not just a metaphor. Diana Ferreira’s work focuses on reusing abandoned fishing nets to develop new yarns and fabrics.
“We are very focused on reusing old fishing nets to develop new yarns for new knits and fabrics, thereby developing new fibre systems for more sustainable fashion.”
About the researcher
Diana Ferreira is a researcher at 2C2T (Centre for Textile Science and Technology) and a lecturer in the Department of Textile Engineering at the School of Engineering of the University of Minho. A chemist by training, she has dedicated her career to the interface between materials science and advanced textile engineering.
She currently coordinates UMinho’s participation in five major PRR mobilising agendas:
Blue Bioeconomy Pact (led by TMG);
GIATEX (Intelligent Water Management in Textiles);
Lusitano and BE@T (focused on the circular economy);
BioShoes for All (Sustainability in the footwear sector).
Born in Espinho, Diana Ferreira combines her roots linked to the sea with cutting-edge research, being one of the leading voices in Portugal’s transition to a decarbonised textile economy with high technological value.
Diana Ferreira’s interview with UMinho I&D can be heard in full on RUM.
