Dr. Kate Baker is a garment durability and sustainability specialist with a blend of academic and commercial expertise. She holds a PhD from the University of Leeds, where her doctoral research, conducted in strategic partnership with WRAP’s UK Textile Pact, investigated how physical and emotional durability can drive a circular economy. A key contribution of her work was the development of a standardised methodology for measuring physical durability, providing a rigorous framework for assessing garment longevity. Before this, Kate worked as a Fabric Technologist in the outdoor clothing sector.

Currently, Kate is the EPR Technical Manager at WEFT Limited. In this capacity, she specialises in navigating complex global policy frameworks, such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Her work is instrumental in integrating technical durability metrics into UK eco-modulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. By aligning material performance data with environmental policy, Kate ensures that sustainability mandates are both scientifically grounded and commercially viable for the global textile industry.