Wilson College Faculty Member Receives Funding for Sustainable Research

Research on non-toxic fiber production at the Wilson College of Textiles is paving the way for a more sustainable fiber future. Associate Professor Ericka Ford and her teams in the Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science department and The Nonwovens Institute received research funding from NCInnovation, a non-profit that provides grant funding and support services for North Carolina’s public universities.

Importance of changing production

Since she started at the Wilson College 11 years ago, Ford has been looking for cleaner ways to manufacture materials. Her research focuses on non-toxic acrylic and carbon fiber spinning through a process that enables reshoring.

“Acrylic fiber production typically uses a flammable solvent and there are health hazards associated with that, which is one of the reasons offshoring began,” Ford says. “The idea is to make production greener so then we don’t even need to produce it offshore. It really is a matter of using sustainability to make onshoring practical and economical, as well as being able to pass current Environmental Protection Agency standards.”

Carbon fiber is a lightweight material used to construct the main body of airplanes and high-end recreational products, like golf clubs. Instead of using steel for cars, carbon fiber would greatly improve fuel efficiency. It could also lower carbon emissions by reducing the weight of these vehicles. 

Ford applied for the NCInnovation grants because she knew that this technology could be profitable, particularly for acrylic fiber in protective clothing production used by the defense textiles community in North Carolina. She says the funding she’ll receive over the next two years will enable her to commercialize her research. 

“This is a major win for shortening supply chain lead times for domestic yarn and fabric manufacturing mills in North Carolina and throughout the U.S.,” Ford says.

Impact moving forward

This new funding highlights the ways that the research conducted at the Wilson College has long-lasting impacts on the future of sustainable textile production.

“I think it shows the relevance of research in this day, and also the importance of a research institution like Wilson College of Textiles in terms of being able to support industry with new ideas and technologies so that the industry can continue to thrive,” Ford says.

In her fiber manufacturing technology course, she goes over the processes used to make the fibers in clothing and structural composites. Her hope is that it will help students understand the basic fundamentals to create something new.

“Dr. Ericka Ford’s breakthrough in fiber manufacturing exemplifies the kind of high-impact, real-world research we champion at the Wilson College of Textiles. Her work not only addresses a long-standing environmental challenge in the global textile industry but also positions North Carolina as a leader in sustainable innovation,” Associate Dean for Research Xiangwu Zhang says. “With support from NCInnovation, Dr. Ford and her team are helping to transform the sector, showing how academic research can power a cleaner, more competitive future.”