Cheramie Sets Apparel Sustainability PechaKucha at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Apparel merchandising and product development instructor Lance Cheramie is holding a Fashion Industry PechaKucha on April 3 at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It's in conjunction with the Arkansas Arts & Fashion Forum and NWA Fashion Week.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Lance Cheramie, apparel merchandising and product development instructor in U of A's School of Human Environmental Sciences, was recently appointed to a Net Impact world-wide cohort to address sustainability in the global fashion industry.

With his appointment, he is scheduling events in Northwest Arkansas to raise awareness. All are apparel-related, and intended to draw attention to sustainability in the apparel and textile industries.

The first is the Fashion Industry PechaKucha at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It's in conjunction with the Arkansas Arts & Fashion Forum education series and NWA Fashion Week.

A PechaKucha is a presentation style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each, leading to a fast-paced, concise delivery.

Scheduled presenters are Cheramie, Shaul Cohen with Jordache, Zach Freeze of Walmart and Alyssa Bird with Regenerous Designs.

"Each presenter will talk about sustainability in the fashion industry from various perspectives — Zach on retailing, Shaul on manufacturing, Alyssa on design and product development and I will talk about it from the educational perspective," said Cheramie. "Also included will be a Recycled, Repurposed Fashion Denim Showcase highlighting how students interpret sustainability through design."

Net Impact's Wear it Wise cohort will focus on the social, economic and environmental impacts of the fashion industry around the world. The group's goal is to inspire young people to reflect on the full life-cycle of their apparel choices in order to create lasting consumer behavior change.

Net Impact is a nonprofit membership organization for students and professionals interested in programs and networking events on topics such as corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international development and environmental sustainability.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2.7 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.