Held annually, the AATCC Concept 2 Consumer (C2C) Design & Merchandising Student Competition calls on students from around the globe to show off their creations. This year’s theme, “Creating Comfort: Waterway-Conscious Casual Apparel”, challenged students to both design and merchandise their own apparel line inspired by the theme. Many current textile items marketed as “comfortable” have a high ecological impact on waterways through high microfiber shed, low tolerance to repeat laundering, and high water usage during production. This industry-relevant theme encouraged students to think about how choices made early in the design and merchandising processes can reduce the environmental footprint of apparel. As part of the educational benefits provided by AATCC, students attended virtual events to learn more about test methods, quality control processes, and career insights to help them prepare their final entry. Competition sponsor Archroma also provided online access to the Color Atlas, which students were able to use to define their color palettes digitally in their entries. AATCC thanks competition sponsors Archroma, Farhan Patel, and VV Hanwei Su. All winners received a cash prize from AATCC, Farhan Patel, and VV Hanwei Su, a free year of AATCC Student Membership, and a Color Atlas by Archroma Mini Edition sponsored by Archroma.
AATCC also thanks this year’s competition developers and panel of industry judges for their contributions to textile education:
Developers:
Kerry King, NC State University • Bethany Pollack, • Scott Wagner, Consultant
Judges:
Julie Katzenberger, QA Management • Farhan Patel, Alo Yoga • VV Hanwei Su, Maison De Hoe • Scott Wagner, Consultant • Carrie Yates, Cotton Incorporated
Reserve Judges:
Amy Evans, W.L. Gore • Sarah Beth Gleeson, Baleena • Chris Hipps, Archroma • Stephanie Rodgers, Textile Made Inc. • Sarah White, Sitka Gear • Grace Wu, Good Housekeeping Institute • Julia Yan, Baleena
First Place: “The Sand Barre” by Kristen (Kris) Crowley of Texas Tech University
Inspired by ballet, ocean waves, and colors at sunset, “The Sand Barre” by Kristen (Kris) Crowley is an athleisure line focused on water-conscious material choices. Judges complimented Crowley’s design quality, use of color, and her choice of test methods for her material choices. Some of the materials she selected to reduce her environmental impact included Colorifix-dyed Kelsun, ROICA V550 to replace traditional elastane, and chitosan for an antimicrobial treatment. To validate her claims, she chose AATCC TM125 Test Method for Colorfastness to Perspiration and Light, AATCC TM211-2021 Test Method for Reduction of Bacterial Odor on Antibacterial Treated Textiles, and AATCC TM212 Test Method for Fiber Fragment Release During Home Laundering. Originally from Dallas, TX, USA Crowley is a rising senior at Texas Tech University studying Apparel Design and Manufacturing with a minor in French. On her experience in the competition, Crowley shares, “Participating in the AATCC C2C Student Design and Merchandising Competition was an invaluable experience. Through the competition I learned about the different tests available for textiles and it taught me the importance of testing textiles to ensure they fulfill their purpose.” After graduating from Texas Tech, Crowley plans to pursue a master’s degree in fashion design with the ultimate goal of teaching future designers. As first place winner, Crowley will receive US$2000 Cash Prize from AATCC, US$300 Cash Prize sponsored by Farhan Patel, US$150 Cash Prize sponsored by VV Hanwei Su, a Color Atlas by Archroma Mini Edition sponsored by Archroma, and a free year of AATCC Student Membership.
Second Place: “Ode to the Paw-Paw” by Willow Gehman of the Moore College of Art and Design
The paw-paw tree doesn’t just produce delicious fruit; this plant is essential for preventing stream and riverbank erosion throughout the eastern USA, including Willow Gehman’s hometown of Warrington, PA, USA. Inspired by the tree, Gehman took a unique approach to the competition prompt by selecting natural dyes to use in a wide range of application techniques, such as shibori, silkscreening, embroidery, and pigment printing. Judges praised her interpretation of the theme along with her merchandising plan, which included displaying her products through immersive visual displays in brick-and-mortar stores. To ensure the longevity of her apparel line, Gehman chose to apply AATCC TM187 Test Method for Dimensional Changes of Fabrics: Accelerated. She also selected AATCC TM81 Test Method for pH of the Water-Extract from Wet Processed Textiles to be used to better understand and correct the impacts of production effluent and also to ensure the garments have a neutral pH for further product longevity. On her experience participating in the competition, Gehman shared, “The AATCC student competition taught me the power of storytelling through design. I learned how a compelling story can break down barriers to understanding and allow designers to educate the consumer.” Gehman is a rising senior in the Fashion Design program at the Moore College of Art and Design. After she completes her degree, she plans to pursue jobs in the technical design space and hopes to continue working with digital design programs like CLO3D. As second place winner, Gehman will receive US$1500 Cash Prize from AATCC, US$200 Cash Prize sponsored by Farhan Patel, US$100 Cash Prize sponsored by VV Hanwei Su, a Color Atlas by Archroma Mini Edition sponsored by Archroma, and a free year of AATCC Student Membership.
Third Place: “Fabric Footprint” by Anna Beth Mauldin of Auburn University
Designed for research expeditions, Anna Beth Mauldin’s competition entry blends tactical performance with comfortable movement and accessible storage. The sustainable collection is dedicated to climate change researchers and features carefully selected materials to reduce environmental impact, such as Bananatex (a performance canvas made from banana plants), Tencel (lyocell), and hemp. Judges noted her excellent color usage along with her choices of low-water finishing methods such as digital printing with water-based inks, beeswax to add water resistance, and leaving some items undyed altogether. To validate her product claims, she selected AATCC TM111 Test Method for Weather Resistance of Textiles to ensure the performance of her line in any research condition, along with AATCC TM97 Test Method for Extractable Content of Textiles to determine different chemical contents of her cellulosic fiber choices before and after processing. Originally from Cullman, Alabama, Mauldin is a rising Junior in the Apparel Design & Production Management program with a minor in journalism. Mauldin shared, “Through this competition, I gained valuable insight into AATCC and deepened my understanding of my own creative design process. The research I conducted expanded my knowledge of textiles and material testing—essential foundations for a career in the apparel industry.” Mauldin plans to pursue a career in design and hopes to use her journalism minor to create fashion-focused content and articles behind the scenes. As third place winner, Mauldin will receive US$500 Cash Prize from AATCC, US$100 Cash Prize sponsored by Farhan Patel, US$50 Cash Prize sponsored by VV Hanwei Su, a Color Atlas by Archroma Mini Edition sponsored by Archroma, and a free year of AATCC Student Membership.