About Speaker
Dr. Sonia Reynolds is a multidisciplinary designer, inventor and researcher whose PhD introduced a fourth class of textiles: non-interlaced structures developed through her patent-protected FOYSE Technology. Specialising in natural fibres and hair blends—including wool, mohair, alpaca, cashmere and silk—her FOYSE method enables fibres to connect without traditional weaving or knitting, unlocking new possibilities for surface, structure, and sustainable design. Sonia bridges craft and science, holding multiple patents and patent-pending inventions that expand the boundaries of textile innovation. She is currently pioneering IDEA SPARK: A Materials Library and the Institute of FOYSE Technology (TIoFT) to reimagine how natural fibre textiles are conceptualised, taught, and made. Her work has been recognised with the Highly Commended Female Innovator of the Year, the 2023 Innovate UK Transformative Technologies Award 2024, and the 2025 DCMS Innovate UK Award, affirming her impact on the future of natural fibre innovation and shaping textiles through innovation, research and practice.