The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) has revealed details of changes to its team and advisory structure, following the launch of the Microfibre 2030 Commitment last year. Boosting the organisation’s core resources, three new appointments have added technical, research and engagement expertise to TMC. As signatory support increases, the consortium is also recruiting to fill a fourth role and is introducing an external advisory group to help guide its direction.

Dr Kelly Sheridan has joined TMC as head of research. With a background in forensics, Dr Sheridan will work for the consortium while remaining embedded in her lecturing role at Northumbria University.

Dr Sheridan comments: “I am delighted to have joined TMC and have the opportunity to positively impact the environmental pollution of microfibres. My immediate focus is to identify underlying trends within the data generated from our signatory fabric testing, to better understand fibre fragmentation and steer research in the right direction.”

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To support Dr Sheridan in scaling research developments on fibre fragmentation is assistant researcher and University of Leeds alumnus, Aisha Kayani.

Aisha adds: “I am thrilled to be working up close with the TMC Test Method and Microfibre Data Portal, providing technical and analytic support to our signatories. I keep the TMC team informed with vital updates from the field, and find the urgency of this topic highly motivating.”

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The launch of the Microfibre 2030 Commitment in September 2021 signalled a shift in the approach of TMC, away from the previous membership model. Signatories are now asked to participate in a more active role by committing to a sustained programme of collaborative and proactive cross-industry work, aligned to the new Microfibre Roadmap.

To guide this work, TMC has appointed Tara Luckman as its advisory group chair, following her valued contribution in developing the Microfibre Roadmap and Microfibre 2030 Commitment.

Tara explains: “I relish working with signatories as chair of our advisory group. This group will support the signatory task teams – the real engine house for delivering the roadmap – as they research fibre fragmentation and realise insights that will enable the sector to take mitigating action. Through the advisory group, we bring together senior stakeholders representing the breadth of interests across the sector, to ensure the roadmap is consistently guided and supported towards its goal.”

To complement the technical team, Anna Bateman has joined TMC as stakeholder ambassador. Anna will drive Microfibre Roadmap advocacy and engagement, while facilitating the research task teams. She seeks to ensure that all TMC signatories feel supported and informed, within a community focussed on mitigating the impact of fibre fragmentation.

Anna states: “To work within a dedicated team with such clearly defined and environmentally focussed targets is very inspiring. In addition, the broad array of committed stakeholders I engage with daily, reaffirms not only the importance of finding practical solutions to this issue, but also highlights the true collective power of collaboration.”

Phil Patterson of Colour Connections, remains an integral part of TMC’s advisory structure, moving from chair of the board, to chair of TMC’s technical committee.

Phil notes: “The Microfibre Consortium is transitioning from being a research-led organisation to one that uses its research-derived knowledge to provide industry and society with solutions for reducing the formation and discharge of textile microfibres into the environment. As a result of this, there needs to be a balance between management of longer term projects and a more nimble provision of objective advice and I’m very much looking forward to working with TMC teams and stakeholders to ensure we remain the calm voice of objectivity in an increasingly complex subject area.”

This overall boost to expertise and support signals a strong focus on achieving the Microfibre2030 vision. Some of the latest additions to the commitment include Fashion for Good, Forum for the Future, Eastman and River Island.

Following the appointment of Dr Kelly Sheridan, Aisha Kayani and Anna Bateman, The Microfibre Consortium is also recruiting a director of operations to provide additional strategic vision and support to the organisation with its expanding programme of work around the world. Details of the new role can be found at https://www.microfibreconsortium.com/team.

Companies that would like to support TMC’s Microfibre 2030 Commitment, should contact 2030@microfibreconsortium.com.