Automated assembly lines are now sewing up shirts, potentially bringing production back home. Cam Myers of CreateMe sees a future where women's underwear and soon-to-be t-shirts are glued together with precision. This could slash environmental impact and allow 'made in America' claims, but millions of jobs hang in the balance.

Roboticists like Palaniswamy Rajan see sewing robots cutting costs too, though they're mum on details. Meanwhile, textile workers grapple with closures and shortages amid a race to automate fashion's high-flex challenges.

Automated manufacturing could reduce global t-shirt emissions by 45%, but other parts of the supply chain remain tricky. For now, European factories are eyeing specialist textiles while the wider market waits for ten more years before seeing major changes.