Locals applauded as her coffin arrived at St Catherine’s Church, adorned with a green cloth bearing a gold harp and a coat of arms of Dublin

Emotional tributes have been paid to Brenda Fricker as the first Irish woman to win an Oscar is laid to rest in Dublin.

Fricker was returned to the Dublin area of The Liberties where she grew up for her final journey. Locals applauded as her coffin arrived at St Catherine’s Church on Meath Street, adorned with a green cloth bearing a gold harp and a coat of arms of Dublin.

Fricker, 81, died in Our Lady’s Hospice in Dublin’s Harold’s Cross on July 16 after a period of ill-health. Mourners heard that she wanted her funeral to be “no fuss” and full of laughter.

Her friend Liz Duffy, described as “her rock”, thanked the local shops in the Liberties that Fricker would go to regularly with her dog, Juno. Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst and costume designer Joan Bergin were among those who attended the funeral service in the Liberties neighbourhood.

Monsignor Eoin Thynne told mourners there wasn’t “an ounce of airs or graces about her” and that she “marched to the beat of her own drum”.

He thanked her neighbours and friends from the Liberties “where she could be herself and was happiest when she was among her own”.

“Brenda lived a life full to the brim, full of love, laughter, stories, kindness, and mischief, and she was very clear about what she wanted today: no tears, no sadness, no fuss. This is not a day for sorrow.

“This is a day of celebration, the celebration of a true legend who touched the lives of so many and left us with many, many wonderful memories.”

He added: “The curtain has fallen on this life, but what a performance it was.”

Fricker won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Bridget Fagan Brown in 1989’s My Left Foot, which tells the story of Irishman Christy Brown, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot.

Fricker was also known for her role in the 1992 follow-up to Home Alone, where she played Pigeon Lady, a homeless woman in New York’s Central Park.

She was also part of the original cast of BBC medical drama Casualty and featured alongside Cate Blanchett in Veronica Guerin (2003), as well as appearing in ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs and soap opera Coronation Street.

Her other film appearances included So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993), Angels In The Outfield (1994) and A Time To Kill (1996).

Her later roles included the TV adaptation of Graham Norton’s first novel Holding, directed by Kathy Burke, and the Channel 5 drama series The Catch.

Fricker also made numerous stage appearances in plays such as Lavender Blue and A Pagan’s Place at theatres including the National Theatre and Royal Court Theatre. Her agent Phil Belfield described the Irish actress as a “legend” whom he was “honoured to know”.

“Dublin-born and bred, Brenda Fricker undoubtedly deserves the noun ‘legend’,” he said.

“We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her. I was honoured to know, love and work with her, and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.”

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A market town was engulfed by violence and disorder after baying mobs stormed three houses rumoured to be used by asylum seekers.

Frustration exploded into fury in Thetford, Norfolk, following weeks of protests at a nearby former military barracks which has already been earmarked to take 1,250 male migrants.

Five men had to be escorted by police from a property on St Johns Way in front of a baying crowd, prompting protesters to brand the officers ‘traitors’.

The occupant of a house in nearby Elm Road is then understood to have been forced out of his home before his phone was stolen.

The chaos next spilled over to a residence in Bracken Road, which had its windows and front door smashed in.

Up to 100 people became involved in the violence, with video capturing one man shouting: ‘They don’t want the white man anymore. They want us all gone, they wanna swap us.

‘It’s predicted by 2050 that the f****** white man’s going to be a minority.’

Others could be heard shouting ‘get out’ as police escorted the terrified occupants of St Johns Way out of the area, two of whom were wearing tops with the hoods pulled tightly over their faces.

In another scene, an individual who was off camera, leaving it uncertain whether they were a police officer or member of the public, shouted over the mayhem: ‘The police have got a job to do.

‘They’re going to remove the guys from the building. There will be no harm or loss or injury.’

Norfolk Police said they arrested a man in his 30s yesterday on suspicion of a public order offence and their investigation into the ‘linked’ incidents were continuing.

The turmoil on Tuesday began at around midday when a group of men were seen moving into the St Johns Way house.

One local claimed the landlord had told them to expect new tenants but didn’t mention they would be asylum seekers.

News of the arrival spread swiftly on social media and by 7pm, people began arriving at the estate, with numbers quickly swelling to around 60.

Police guard a property in the market town as protesters stand outside

Police flooded the area and drones were launched as around 100 protesters swamped the market town

Police had to escort the occupants of a property in St Johns Way after a tense stand-off 

Police arrived just after 8pm and drones were launched when the mob, none of whom are understood to live in the road, tried to force their way in by smashing in a window and fence panel and ripping out the letter box. A tradesman in the building was also prevented from leaving.

Dramatic footage shows an officer standing in front of the property and telling the protesters: ‘You have the absolute right to stay here and gather and [exercise] your right to freedom of expression.

‘That is your choice, okay. But I need you to stay here and do that peacefully.

‘If we start getting people and they’re making threats, or getting knocks on the door [that’s] when we then come back and that ruins it for everyone.

‘So do the things right for you and don’t cross the line.’

A woman could be heard loudly accusing the police of ‘treason’ and others shouted ‘shame on you’ as they tried to restore calm.

By 10pm, the decision was taken to remove the five men in the property and ten officers surrounded them as they hurried outside and into a waiting police van, amid booing and shouts of ‘get out’.

A police officer addressed the mob at one address, warning them they had the right to ‘freedom of expression’ but they had to do it ‘peacefully’

Doors and windows were smashed at properties as the mob called for the asylum seekers to ‘get out’

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The incident came after months of protests at RAF Barnham in Suffolk three miles away, where the government is planning to house 1,250 asylum seekers

The protesters then walked around a mile to the second location, where the house is understood to have been undergoing preparations for asylum seekers to take possession.

It was empty but the window and door were broken before police arrived and dispersed the group.

The last incident, half a mile away in Elm Road, involved a smaller group who are said to have ejected the occupant and taken his phone.

One local, a man in his 50s who didn’t want to give his name, told the Mail today: ‘We all know what’s been going on locally and people are not liking it.

‘People in Thetford are a bit fed up that we’re getting dumped with everybody that supposedly needs help.

‘The problem is we’ve got very poor infrastructure – it’s just about holding together.

‘Now they’re going to put another 2,000-3,000 asylum seekers on our doorstep. It’s not what people want.’

Police have maintained a heightened presence in the area following the violence and disorder

Thetford is just three miles from RAF Barnham, over the border in Suffolk – one of three sites being considered to house a total of 3,750 asylum seekers, alongside former MoD bases in Bicester in Oxfordshire and RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire.

The government is also looking to extend the use of existing military sites in Crowborough, East Sussex, until 2030 and Wethersfield, Essex until at least 2027.

Locals in Barnham, Suffolk, have warned they will be overwhelmed if the plans in their area are approved.

The village is home to 580 people and has a church but no shop or pub.

Hundreds of people from as far away as Essex have flocked to protests over the plans in recent months.

An encampment has been set up outside the gates with rotating protesters wielding placards reading ‘Thetford says no!’ and ‘Don’t trust Home Office – it’s all lies.’

Speaking to the Mail last month, Barnham resident Kerri Williams, 51, who is from an RAF family, said she had grave concerns about the scheme for lone, male migrants.

She said: ‘These are grown men with their iPhones and new trainers. If it was women with kids, it wouldn’t be so bad.

‘I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt but we just can’t. We’ve seen the amount of crime they bring.’

RAF Barnham in Suffolk, which is just three miles from Thetford, has been earmarked by the government to take 1,250 asylum seekers

Protesters have been gathering outside the ex-military base for months

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One of the protesters in Thetford on Tuesday is understood to have been activist Zak Marketis, who has been staying at RAF Barnham for weeks. His brightly coloured caravan was seen parked in the area. There is no suggestion he was involved in any illegal activity.

A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: ‘Police were called to St John’s Way, Thetford, at 8.12pm [on Tuesday] following reports that a group of people, who didn’t live at the address, were attempting to get inside and smashed a window, and damaged a fence panel and letter box. 

‘The group were shouting and preventing a workman from leaving. A resident of the same property reported a group of between 30 and 50 people trying to get into the house.

‘Officers attended a second address on Bracken Road where some of the group believed to be present at the previous incidents, smashed the windows of the property.

‘A third incident happened on Elm Road where a smaller group entered a property and forced out the resident and stole their mobile phone.

‘A man aged in his 30s was arrested [yesterday] on suspicion of a public order offence. He has been taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning, where he remains.

‘The investigation into the incidents, which are being linked, remains ongoing.’

​The Government has announced plans to prioritise job creation over green targets when companies bid for public contracts, a move welcomed by Labour MPs and trade unions but met with concern from green groups.

​As part of the overhaul, companies bidding for public contracts will be told to prioritise job creation over green and social targets.

​Cllr Kevin Foster, Leader of the Green and Independent Group at North Yorkshire Council, said: “It is absolutely right that public contracts should help create good local jobs and provide opportunities for young people. However, this should not come at the expense of our environmental ambitions. We should be doing both.

​“The transition to a greener economy is one of the biggest opportunities for job creation that this country has. Rather than importing so much of the technology we need, why aren’t we investing in manufacturing products such as solar panels here in the UK?

​“That would create skilled, well-paid jobs, strengthen our economy, improve our energy security and reduce emissions at the same time.”

​​From next year, businesses will be assessed on their commitment to creating high-quality employment, tackling local skills shortages and supporting young people into apprenticeships, work placements and training opportunities.

​Alison Hume, the Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said: “This is a hugely positive step that puts local communities, British jobs and young people’s futures at the heart of public spending.

​“I’ve always maintained that public procurement should help develop skills, support apprenticeships and create good-quality jobs in the communities that need them most.

​​“This is the kind of ambitious step that will help drive growth in every postcode and ensure local people feel the benefits of economic growth.”

​However, Greenpeace UK’s head of politics, Ami McCarthy, argued that “protecting the environment and helping young people into good work are mutually beneficial and one shouldn’t come at a cost to the other.”

​“Companies should be held to account with environmental targets to help achieve a better future without leaving young workers behind.”

​Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Cllr Foster added: “This should never be a choice between jobs and the environment. The best public procurement policies should support both, ensuring taxpayers’ money creates local employment while also investing in the industries of the future.”

​

ROME (AP) — Italy placed all of its major cities under the highest heat alert Thursday as a blistering heat wave gripped Europe, setting a national temperature record in Austria, fueling wildfires in France and disrupting energy and transport systems across the continent.

The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several countries, prompting health warnings for millions of people.

Across Europe, authorities are grappling with the consequences of extreme heat: health alerts for millions in Italy, record temperatures in Austria, drought-related disruptions to energy and shipping in Central Europe, and wildfires stretching from France to the Balkans.

Scientists and officials warn that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms.

Climate change drives more extreme summers

From the Mediterranean to Central Europe, prolonged heat, drought and wildfire conditions are increasingly becoming defining features of summer. The current heat wave has exposed vulnerabilities in public health systems, power generation, transportation networks and tourism infrastructure, forcing governments and businesses to adapt to more frequent periods of extreme weather.

Italy’s Health Ministry placed all 27 cities monitored under its national heat surveillance system on red alert Thursday — the first time this year the entire network has been under the highest warning level simultaneously.

The alerts stretch from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily and signal a health risk for the entire population, not only vulnerable groups such as older adults and people with chronic illnesses.

Authorities urged residents and tourists to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day, remain indoors where possible and drink plenty of water as temperatures in some areas approached 40 C (104 F).

The heat has also forced adjustments at major tourist attractions. The ministries of tourism and culture extended evening opening hours at landmarks including Rome’s Colosseum and Pantheon.

Cooling mist fans have been installed at the Colosseum’s entrances and additional medical stations have been made available.

Austria breaks national temperature record

The most intense temperatures were recorded in Austria, where the mercury reached 41.2 C (106.2 F) on Wednesday in the village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border, according to GeoSphere Austria. It was the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.

Austria is also facing severe drought. Rainfall from Jan. 1 through June 30 was 27% below the long-term average nationwide, while some eastern regions received only half their normal precipitation.

Climatologist Alexander Orlik said some parts of the country had not experienced such dry conditions since 1885.

“The Cumulative Impact Zone is recognised as an area that has a high concentration of activity and particular policies exist for that in Westminster and the Mayor’s London-wider planning. There is a legal obligation to look at every application on its merits and we do just that, meaning we see new venues opening all the time. Again, there is little change here from the policy of previous administrations and we have seen new pubs and fast-food outlets open recently including a license extension for the McDonald’s on Leicester Square, which will now be open 24 hours despite objections from the Mayor’s police representatives.

Jak Jones landed the first ranking title of his career at the Championship League and it came at the perfect time after a ‘disaster’ at the Crucible in April.

The Welshman beat Dave Gilbert in the final of the Championship League last month to lift the trophy and secure his first professional title.

The 33-year-old memorably reached the World Championship final in 2024, losing out to Kyren Wilson, but now has entered the winners’ enclosure for the first time since initially turning pro in 2010.

It is ideal timing for Jones, who ended last season with a morale-sapping 10-2 thrashing at the hands of Mark Selby in the first round at the Crucible.

Selby made just three half-centuries in a match which Jones admits went about as badly as it could have done, but he is thrilled to put that out of his mind quickly by winning the first ranking event of the new season.

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‘It couldn’t have gone any worse really. How I played, how I felt at the Crucible,’ Jones told Metro. ‘It was a bit of a disaster really.
It’s good to put that to the back of my mind.

‘I’ve experienced the good side of the Crucible and I’ve definitely experienced the worst now.

‘There’s so many different factors, I suppose. You’re playing a Crucible specialist, one of the best players ever. I didn’t feel too good in myself and then you miss a couple of balls and I think it all just got on top of me in the end. Which can happen to anyone, but it certainly got to me.

‘Then obviously it can knock your confidence quite a bit, when you have such a bad experience, a bad performance on the biggest stage. So to then win the first tournament of the new season I think was really big for me.’

It’s been a long journey to his first title for Jones, but it has only been since his amazing run to the Crucible final two years ago that he has been really itching to get his hands on some silverware.

‘When I was in the World final, I didn’t really think that much about winning a tournament. I wouldn’t say I was desperate to win a tournament,’ he said.

‘But after the last couple of years, you feel like you need to go to the next step in your career. You have to win one, otherwise you just feel like you’re stuck.

‘Since the World Championship last season I’ve thought of it a lot, that I need to win a tournament soon. If I’m going to progress in my career, I do feel like I need to win a tournament soon.

‘So to win the first tournament of the season and get it out of the way was good.’

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Jones has won tournaments before in his junior and amateur days, but thinks the 10-year gap since a European Championship success in 2016 saw him forget what to do after lifting a trophy.

‘I didn’t celebrate,’ he says. ‘Dylan Emery was also in my group and we just drove straight back home.

‘That was it really. No celebration. I think I’ve forgotten how to celebrate!’

Jones does have plenty to celebrate off the table, having moved into a new house in December and now expecting his second child with his wife later this year.

Back in his hometown of Cwmbran after a spell in Cardiff, Jones is pleased to be settled again, although his Russian wife Inna, from the huge city of Samara, is still getting used to it.

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‘Cardiff was a big change for me, but my wife loved it there, we were in the city centre, virtually,’ he said. ‘It was a bit too much for me. She likes Cwmbran, it’s just a lot quieter than what her home city would have been. I think she’s getting used to it, very slowly.’

Next up for Jones, he says: ‘I’m just trying to win another tournament. Now I’ve got one out of the way.

‘It’s so hard now but maybe when I get to the business end of tournaments in future I can be a bit more relaxed than I have been in the past.

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‘I think that psychologically, it’s massive. No matter what tournament it is I’ve won, it’s massive to get it out of the way.

‘I’ve been in the final of the biggest tournament and arguably the smallest one. But the thing that I had in my head before was feeling better in longer formats. I guess that’s out of the window now because it doesn’t get much more shorter format than the Championship League.

‘So to win that one, that’s another psychological obstacle out of the way.’

MORE: Snooker star bedbound after nightmare injury on fairground ride

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MORE: Stephen Hendry says Ronnie O’Sullivan’s snooker is now ‘sublime to the ridiculous’

MORE: Judd Trump sees worrying signs for his rivals with Shanghai Masters win

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David Mitchell’s hit BBC crime drama set in Cambridge is returning for a second series this month

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A much-loved BBC crime comedy-drama is set to return to screens, with viewers soon able to revisit the mystery-filled world of Ludwig.

The series that brought Cambridge to life as the backdrop for its quirky detective stories, has been a huge hit as it was the BBC’s most successful comedy debut in six years when it first premiered almost two years ago.

Starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, the second series of Ludwig will arrive on BBC One on 20 August, with all six episodes available to watch on BBC iPlayer from the same day.

The new series once again sees Mitchell take on the dual roles of John “Ludwig” Taylor, a reclusive puzzle creator who writes puzzle books under the name Ludwig

And his identical twin brother James Taylor, a respected detective chief inspector with the Cambridge police force.

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The first series introduced viewers to Cambridge as John stepped into his missing brother’s identity, using his puzzle-solving skills to help investigate crimes while secretly searching for answers about James’ disappearance.

In the second series, John is now an official member of the police station — but his search for the truth becomes more complicated. He is banned from using police resources to investigate his brother’s disappearance or discover what James had been working on before he vanished.

With Cambridge’s historic streets, architecture and atmosphere providing the setting, the series continues to showcase the city as an important part of the story, creating a distinctive backdrop for the fictional police investigations.

David previously opened up about filming in Cambridge, which is where he studied as an undergraduate and met his comedy partner, Robert Webb.

At the time, he said: “I’ve been back a few times but it was nice to be there filming something because when I was [a student] there I desperately wanted to get into acting and comedy as a job, so I thought, ‘Look at me, this is my job!’. So that’s a nice return.

He continued: “But obviously, I think anyone who moves away from where they went to as a young person or as a student will know that when you go back.

“It’s filled with an unbearable poignancy which is part of the message that life conveys relentlessly that you’re going to die one day.”

The star added: “So you look around the place and remember where you had fun, the various rooms where friends of yours lived and they’re not there now.

“And it’s all about the terribly sad passing of time which is one of the things we try and use television to distract people from.”

Ludwig season two will air on BBC One at 9pm on Thursday 20 August, and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from the same date.

The OC fans could finally have their dreams come true after lead star Mischa Barton teased a potential reunion is on the cards.

The 00s icon played beloved character Marissa Cooper on the show for three seasons, with the original series running for a total of four between 2003 and 2007.

The American drama helped launch the careers of several big stars today, including Mischa herself as well as Adam Brody, and supporting stars like Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Shailene Woodley and Amber Heard all before mainstream fame.

Of course, Marissa’s character arc also remains one of the most shocking TV moments in history after she died in a fiery car crash at the end of season three (I would say spoiler warning, but it has been 20 years).

Still, the cast holds a special place in the hearts of the OC fans, especially 40-year-old star Mischa.

Now, she’s renewed hope that the whole gang could be getting back together, as she said in a new interview with RTL when asked about a potential reunion.

The interviewer pointed out that there have been mini-reunions already happening, including Nobody Wants This star Adam joining co-star Ben McKenzie to moderate a Q&A for Ben’s new film, Everyone Is Lying to You for Money.

Mischa herself also added that she joined friends Melinda Clarke and Rachel Bilson on The OC recap podcast, although this was further back in 2023.

The million-dollar question, however, is: will all of the cast come back together to reflect on the iconic legacy of the show any time soon?

‘There might be a reunion coming up; we’ll see,’ she cryptically said. And when pressed as to whether anything was planned, just repeated: ‘We’ll see’.

But the eyes don’t lie, and there was definitely a glint in them that fans could expect more soon. The timing of the revelation is even more apt as the 23rd anniversary of the first season happened just this week.

Naturally, the high likelihood has put loyal viewers into a tailspin.

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‘There so is a reunion you can see by her eyes,’ TikTok user Lils shared.

‘This would literally heal me,’ another fan commented.

‘Wow this is EVERYTHING,’ Brizel declared.

‘PLEASEEEEE I NEED TO SEE KIRSTEN AND RYAN TOGETHER AGAIN,’ letsgoflyairs said on X.

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Although a reunion isn’t a reboot, Mischa has addressed whether she would return to the show before, although some spooky happenings would have to take place to bring her character back from the dead.

In 2023, when promoting her stint on the short-lived Neighbours reboot, she was asked whether she would return in some shape or form.

‘Oh maybe, I mean how that would ever happen like you said. I always think it’s more likely that some weird offshoot could happen… I know it’s been talked about that she might have faked her death, but it’s unlikely,’ she told Access Hollywood.

In 2021, her TV mom, played by Melinda, and co-star Rachel reflected on how shocking Marissa’s death was at the time.

‘It was like a member of our family dying. We’ve talked about all the scenes we had after the fact, and how emotional it really was, because it was pretty surreal,’ Rachel said.

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Melinda added to InStyle: ‘And you have to give it to Mischa. I mean being killed off on a show, it’s hard not to take that personally …

‘That girl acted, she did such an amazing job at her performance in that last episode. I remember acting with her in some of her final scenes, and just really being blown away about how brave and present she was.’

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When you think of advanced futuristic clothing, what comes to mind?

Perhaps shirts that can detect and alert users to low blood glucose levels or socks that can track your running form, step count and speed? What about pyjamas that observe subtle bodily changes while you sleep leading to early detection of cancer or warn carers of imminent seizures? Imagine if all these were items that required no external power source, just the energy generated by your own body.

Although these products are not in the shops yet that day is not far off.

Researchers are already designing advanced textiles that look exactly like regular clothes or fabrics but come with with embedded electronic functions. These are referred to as electronics textiles, e-textiles or smart fabrics.

E-textiles integrate sensing, computation and power into fabrics so that the threads themselves become the sensors and the stitches become the circuits. These textiles can monitor health, temperature, motion and air quality. They can communicate wirelessly and harvest various forms of energy.

University and industry prototypes are currently progressing through clinical trials and are being tested outside labs. The global market for e-textiles is projected to reach over US$15 billion (£11.14 billion) by 2028.

Developments in e-textiles will revolutionise the way humanity views clothing; but at what cost?

A new type of waste

Electronic waste is the fastest growing EU waste stream with a record 62 million tonnes discarded in 2022.

Another 92 million tonnes of waste is generated globally from textiles; a figure expected to reach 134 million by 2030. Textiles alone account for 6.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions with the average European discarding a staggering 11kg of textiles per year.

Electronic textiles will bring a new kind of hybrid waste. E‑textiles commonly use mixed polymers, metal nanoparticle inks, and include components that create fire hazards within conventional textile recycling.

They can release toxic residues if incinerated or landfilled. This results in hazardous and precious materials becoming trapped within garments, leading not only to environmental and health problems, but to a loss of vital resources such as graphene and rare-earth elements. Silver, for instance, is used in conductive yarns, antimicrobial coatings, sensors and electrodes. We need to work out how to recover it because it is valuable as well as toxic to aquatic life in some forms.

So, it’s currently very difficult to recover the valuable materials used in smart clothing, after the shirt or socks are discarded.

At the current rate of e-textile growth, current disposal methods will need to change to cope with these new materials; particularly in the areas of reusability and recyclability.

The EU’s sustainable and circular textiles strategy is part of the EU’s plan to become the first climate-neutral continent. Regulators are now demanding clearer rules on recyclability, chemical safety and product lifespans, and starting to ask how e‑textiles will meet these requirements.

Industry practice is catching up more widely, and placing more responsibility on clothing producers. Digital product passports (these carry information about the materials and their environmental impact) and new recycling technologies are scaling up. These shifts mean manufacturers could face legal and commercial risk if they don’t consider the long-term impact of these products.

Preventing more waste

The good news is that sustainable e‑textiles are an engineering problem with practical solutions. Key measures that industry and funders could adopt now include:

1. design for disassembly. Removable electronic parts help separate electronics from textiles for recycling

2. material passports and transparency. Digital records of various components (such as polymers, inks and batteries) that enable safe sorting and recovery

3. biodegradable and recyclable conductors. Prioritising conductors free from precious metals and using alternatives such as screen printable carbon paste and recyclable conductive inks and yarns

4. energy-first design. Integrating textile energy harvesting (for instance, solar, thermoelectric, piezo/triboelectric nanogenerators) to reduce or eliminate batteries. Some garments embed antennas and wireless power receivers to avoid bulky batteries

5. standards for washability, durability and end-of-life testing. To ensure products survive real-world use and can be repaired rather than discarded.

None of these are optional extras: they determine whether e‑textiles become a public good or a new environmental liability. University research groups and industry consortia are starting to demonstrate printable, stretchable components and trial wireless power that reduce battery dependence, for instance. Printable, stretchable components are flexible electronic parts printed onto fabric that keep working as the textile bends and stretches. They make smart clothing comfortable, lightweight, washable and able to move naturally with the body.

Unless policymakers and industry players adopt sustainable design now, e-textiles could add a dangerous new layer to our global electronic waste mountain.

Governments need to set clear rules on recyclability and chemical safety for e‑textiles. University researchers must find methods to make e-textiles functional, affordable, sustainable and safe. Brands must publish material details and repair guides and ensure sustainable practices are being adhered to throughout their supply chain.

Investors should not fund throwaway novelty. Standards bodies must define test methods for washing, wear and end‑of‑life recovery.

These steps will steer the market toward durable, repairable and recyclable products that could change lives for the better.