FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Members of the University of Arkansas Fashion & Apparel Board assisted in a one-day Fibers to Fabric event at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History on Oct. 7.

The day was geared toward first-third grade students in the morning, then open for the public, including homeschooled students, adults and public-school groups. On the museum grounds, historians and artisans used and created fabrics which were used in the Ozarks in the mid-1800s.

Exhibits included displays and examples of crocheting, knitting, weaving and sewing. Activities related to growing and raising fibers for clothing featured sheep, rabbits, cotton and flax.

The U of A students, all apparel merchandising and product development majors in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, assisted with sustainable fashion, upcycled or the use of bamboo/recycled water used in production.

"The Shiloh Museum event gave the Fashion & Apparel Board club members an opportunity to serve the community by educating others on the topic of apparel sustainability," said AMPD instructor Lance Cheramie, one of the club advisors along with instructor Stephanie Hubert. "The students spoke about animal and plant-based fibers, environmentally friendly dying techniques, the Sustainable Development Goals and 3-D printing construction. As a result, the FAB students were also asked to participate in other local events." 

Students participating included Virginia DeMent, Evie Liebbe, Natalie Janz, Maddie Moreland, Karli Clemmons, Jaden Runchey, Addison Davenport, Noah Galster, Ashton Nelson, Julia Roller, Eli Tod, Jordan Lawson, Isaiah Nies, Betsy Johnson, Sydney Buford, Emma Guenther, Ashley Cantrell, Hannah-Grace Dobbs and Nicole Papalexis.

In the museum meeting hall, hands-on activities included a display of historic mill photos, weaving, the use of a drop spindle, economics games to test knowledge from main campus demonstrations and a story corner.

Economics was emphasized by working with Economics Arkansas and Master of Economics Teachers.

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. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.