2026 Project Groups

Using the same industry-leading 3D software our students use, you’ll design virtual garments. You’ll end the week with portfolio-ready 3D images of your design work and basic software skills in hand.

Over the course of the week, you’ll create artwork and turn it into patterned fabric, then watch your design come to life on our industry-grade machines. In the process, you’ll learn how to develop colorways and add valuable Photoshop skills to your toolbox.

In this group, you’ll build moodboards, explore store displays and talk with shoppers in order to build your own fashion brand, including a name, logo and product line. Then, you’ll introduce your brand with a Shark Tank-style pitch presentation. Along the way, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of fashion, branding and consumer thinking. 

Have you ever wondered why a black T-shirt feels warmer than a white T-shirt in the sun? You’ll find out as you collect data in the field, measuring temperature and moisture absorption using a computer.  

Through a series of experiments in the same labs our students use, you’ll learn more about polymers and make durable, colorful fibers. Through these hands-on activities, you’ll discover the applications of polymers and ways to reduce their impact on the environment. 

Using the same industry-leading 3D software our students use, you’ll design virtual garments. You’ll end the week with portfolio-ready 3D images of your design work basic software skills in hand.

Over the course of the week, you’ll create artwork and turn it into patterned fabric, then watch your design come to life on our industry-grade machines. In the process, you’ll learn how to develop colorways and add valuable Photoshop skills to your toolbox.

In this group, you’ll build moodboards, explore store displays and talk with shoppers in order to build your own fashion brand, including a name, logo and product line. Then, you’ll introduce your brand with a Shark Tank-style pitch presentation. Along the way, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of fashion, branding and consumer thinking. 

This project group is a great fit for anyone interested in coding, fashion or engineering! You’ll learn the secrets of “soft circuits” by using conductive inks and LEDs to turn a standard T-shirt into a light-up masterpiece. Serving as a lead designer, you’ll brainstorm, sketch and pitch a concept for your own original e-textile product. 

If you binge watch true crime shows, do yourself a favor and sign up for this group. You’ll learn how forensic scientists working on real criminal cases used chemistry to uncover clues in clothes, upholstery and other textiles. Then, a series of hands-on lessons will prepare you to conduct your own fiber-based forensic investigation at the end of the week, comparing fibers from a “crime scene” to various suspects.

Ready to develop skills you’ll use in college fashion design classes with the same software real designers use? We thought so. In this group, you’ll create and develop a portfolio-ready collection of virtual garments using industry-leading 3D software.

When you think about weaving, the first image that comes to mind might be something completely handcrafted work on a wooden loom. But did you know that many of the beautiful tapestries and textured upholstery fabrics you see are created with a 22-foot-tall machine? In this project, you’ll learn how to design for both in our studios and labs! 

If you’ve ever wondered how cotton or wool turn into the items we use every day, this project group is for you! Over the course of the week, you’ll spin your own yarn and use it to create both knitted and woven fabrics. 

Polymers make up many of the materials we interact with every day. In this group, you’ll learn all about them with hands-on activities and demonstrations in our labs, exploring concepts like crystallization, thermoplasticity and gel swelling. These are lessons you’ll be able to apply to textile engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and other majors. 

Using the same industry-leading 3D software our students use, you’ll design virtual garments. You’ll end the week with portfolio-ready 3D images of your design work and basic software skills in hand.

When you think about weaving, the first image that comes to mind might be something completely handcrafted work on a wooden loom. But did you know that many of the beautiful tapestries and textured upholstery fabrics you see are created with a 22-foot-tall machine? In this project, you’ll learn how to design for both in our studios and labs! 

By taking a deep dive into a real fashion brand, you’ll learn about the fundamentals of business, marketing and product management that are crucial to their success. After analyzing the information you’ve uncovered about their product, marketing and customers, you’ll make recommendations for how they can better reach these customers and expand the brand.

If you’ve ever wondered how cotton or wool turn into the items we use every day, this project group is for you! Over the course of the week, you’ll spin your own yarn and use it to create both knitted and woven fabrics. 

Through hands-on experiments, you’ll uncover the identities of unknown fibers in your own mystery fabric blend. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of dye chemistry and microscopy.