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Design Pupils Exhibit Work, Gather Evaluations at Poster Event

Each group of textile tech and textile engineering students collaborate with an industrial patron to tackle genuine world issues, ranging from testing procedures to product innovations.

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Students in textile technology and engineering collaborate with industry partners to tackle...
Students in textile technology and engineering collaborate with industry partners to tackle real-life challenges, encompassing problem-solving in testing techniques and product innovations.

Design Pupils Exhibit Work, Gather Evaluations at Poster Event

Scooping Up Groundbreaking Solutions

By Sarah Stone

Last Friday, Wilson College of Textiles graduate students showcased their inventive prototypes and groundbreaking research at the highly anticipated Senior Design poster session. The event served as a stage for feedback from esteemed experts, as well as an opportunity to hone presentation skills.

Senior Design is a riveting, year-long course that links teams of textile engineering (TE) and textile technology (TT) students with sponsors ranging from startups to industrial titans. Together, they fine-tune testing methods, sketch blueprints, churn out products, and more. Before the teams meet their sponsors, they begin their journey with an exhilarating crash course in product creation dubbed the Rice Bag Challenge.

Take a peek at some of the pressing issues these Senior Design teams are bravely taking on this academic year:

Marissa, Robert, and Ryan have teamed up with up-and-coming startup AVEC, a visionary collaboration between a physical therapist and one of his patients.

"By discovering that stabilizing the foot and ankles enhances overall body health—supporting the knees, hips, and back in the process—the team aims to create a sock that encapsulates this beneficial taping method," explains TE student Robert Seevers. "The concept is to implement this base for enhanced support, impacting mounted benefits in other targeted regions."

Claire, Molly, Chenlu, and Yu are diving headfirst into environmental sustainability in the apparel industry alongside industry leaders PVH. You've more than likely heard of these fashion juggernauts' beloved brands, such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

Presently, this passionate Senior Design team is working tirelessly to establish the optimal mechanical or chemical method for recycling post-consumer underwear into valuable fibers, priming them for reuse elsewhere in the apparel world.

Brandon, Chris, and Jacqueline are charting a daring course with The North Face, designing electrifying, everyday rippstop weave alternatives for the company's renowned product line. The North Face's iconic ripstop fabric is a hallmark, appearing in an array of products from backpacks to tents to jackets.

"They're after a design that elevates the classic ripstop pattern while retaining its tear-resistant and robust features," beams TT student Brandon Postema-Drolet.

Gunikka, Maddie, and Owen are helping breathe new life into the U.S. Army by incorporating sustainability practices and ensuring the military's safety. Personnel at Pine Bluff Arsenal currently need to don specialized protective suits when dealing with hazardous chemicals. However, these suits are reusable only about three times before becoming obsolete. The Army is seeking a sturdy protective suit that can withstand laundering, and this Senior Design team is on a mission to see it through.

Navigating Product Development Obstacles

Since their sponsors were assigned in early September, students have unveiled a clearer direction for their teams.

"The most challenging aspect," shares senior TE student Robert Seevers, "is not being able to actualize our ideas entirely to evaluate their performance. Instead, we're relying on benchmarks and prototypes to gauge our concept's worth."

Students must learn to adapt their ideas to fit their sponsors' requirements and constraints.

"Producing our solution in one to two years was a primary concern for our sponsor," indicates senior TE student Claire Henson. "We initially envisioned concocting an entirely new kind of yarn. However, our sponsor clarified that idea wouldn't work within the projected timeframe, so we needed to tap into our creativity and think beyond tradition."

In order to execute their ideas, the majority of groups must swiftly acclimate themselves to areas they've never delved into before.

"Fathoming every detail of fabric creation has proved challenging," admits senior TT student Brandon Postema-Drolet. "We're still grappling with calculating fabric weights and determining our desired average weight, all while contemplating how it will affect our strength values."

Subjects such as polymer chemistry, sourcing, and knitting technology are merely the tip of the iceberg, as seniors are grappling with a myriad of additional academic areas in an effort to make their concepts a reality. Wilson College professors and their vast expertise are proving invaluable in the process.

"We've reached out to numerous professors, and some have offered considerable assistance, especially when it comes to understanding nonwoven production and various bonding techniques," shares TT student Maddie Wilson.

Poster presentation attendees included professors, graduate students, staff, and industry professionals, all eager to provide feedback and pose questions.

"Assistant Professor Ericka Ford suggested delving deeper into the nonwoven production process, investigating various production levels and bonding techniques," adds TT student Maddie Wilson.

Following the poster presentation, teams will integrate the suggestions they received and advance to developing and testing prototypes.

  1. The Senior Design course at Wilson College of Textiles connects textile engineering and textile technology students with sponsors in the industry, ensuring a comprehensive approach to product development.
  2. Robert Seevers, a TE student, explains that his team is creating a sock that replicates the benefits of foot and ankle taping, aiming to enhance overall body health and support.
  3. Claire Henson, a senior TE student, and her team are collaborating with PVH, a leading apparel company, to establish an effective method for recycling post-consumer underwear into valuable fibers.
  4. Brandon Postema-Drolet, a TT student, shares that their team is working with The North Face to design innovative alternatives to the company's traditional ripstop weave fabric, while retaining its key features.
  5. Gunikka, Maddie, and Owen's Senior Design project aims to create a sturdy protective suit for the U.S. Army that can withstand laundering, addressing the current issue of limited reusability.
  6. Robert Seevers admits that the most challenging aspect of the Senior Design course is evaluating the performance of their ideas through benchmarks and prototypes instead of actual prototypes.
  7. Claire Henson mentions that their sponsor's primary concern was developing a solution within a two-year timeframe, which required the team to think beyond traditional ideas.
  8. Brandon Postema-Drolet acknowledges that understanding every detail of fabric creation is a significant challenge, particularly calculating fabric weights and determining the desired average weight.
  9. In addition to fabric creation, seniors are gaining knowledge in multiple academic areas, including polymer chemistry, sourcing, and knitting technology.
  10. Maddie Wilson shares that they have sought assistance from Wilson College professors, finding their expertise particularly valuable in understanding nonwoven production and various bonding techniques.

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