KAUST’s collaborative research through KAUST Beacon Development (KBD) is helping weave Saudi Arabia’s responsible use of local resources with advanced textile manufacturing. Working with global textile innovator PYRATEX®, the University is turning brown sargassum into sustainable seaweed-derived fibers — a highlight of this year’s Misk Global Forum, where the Saudi Fashion Commission unveiled its Red Sea Seaweed Project.
This initiative supports a fully traceable, sustainable fiber that can be spun into fabric and, for the first time, used to manufacture garments within the commission’s product development studio. This project demonstrates the potential of homegrown bio-textiles. Sargassum thrives seasonally, from September to March, with an estimated wet biomass of 2.2 kilograms per square meter — on average — along the Red Sea coast.
KBD is mapping optimal harvest windows and establishing the scientific basis for reliable, large-scale use of this coastal biomass. By harvesting a currently unused resource — which often washes ashore and costs municipalities to remove — KAUST is helping turn natural waste into textile-ready material, tapping into an overlooked marine asset that can support local jobs and economic growth.