A new exhibition titled "Particles of Color: Where Science Meets Fashion" has opened at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum in Austin. The exhibition focuses on sustainability in the fashion industry and showcases the use of compostable, plant-based, and biodegradable materials in clothing, accessories, jewelry, and art.
"The fashion industry is a huge contributor to plastic pollution," said Jessica Ciarla, a faculty member in the Division of Textiles and Apparel at the University of Texas. "We wanted to show that there is a way to create something better with the materials we have right now."
The exhibition features over 50 glittering objects made from a compostable material called polylactic acid, combined with natural and nontoxic dyes to create colorful high-fashion items. Ciarla said that polylactic acid is made from agricultural waste and is both practical for fashion use and environmentally friendly as it breaks down when composted.
The innovative sustainable sequins showcased in the exhibition are a result of research conducted by a team of faculty members, students, and researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, including Nathaniel Lynd and Luisa Gil Fandino.
The "Particles of Color" exhibition marks the first new display at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum since its reopening in September 2023, following an extensive renovation. The exhibition is housed on the fourth floor of the museum, designated as the Science Frontiers Gallery, showcasing advanced scientific research and its potential to address current environmental concerns.
The exhibition was created to educate visitors of all ages on the intersection of fashion and sustainability and emphasize the importance of using innovative materials to create a cleaner future for the fashion industry and the plantet.