From the Sector

NC State University is a core partner in the BRIDGES Engine initiative backed by the US National Science Foundation, with up to $160 million available over ten years. A central focus is the development of miscanthus and switchgrass as feedstocks for biobased products.

The plant fibres are intended for applications including automotive, construction and packaging. NC State will contribute techno-economic assessment, sustainability analysis and processing expertise to convert agricultural feedstocks into fibre materials suitable for industrial use.

For technical textiles, the initiative is particularly relevant because it goes beyond laboratory-scale material development and aims to build supply chains, processing capacity and regional markets in parallel.