Before the Farm Bill of 2018, hemp was illegal to grow in the United States. As a result, hemp fabric is an unexplored fashion resource that could be a sustainable alternative to synthetic clothing materials like polyester and rayon. It also has some advantages over cotton, as it requires less water and pesticides to produce.
In addition to featuring hemp textiles, the exhibit contains several other sustainable fashion elements including upcycling, vegetable dyes and zero-waste garments. Other garments contain removable elements or real flowers, while some display intricate techniques like weaving and quilting.
“We have a lot of wearable pieces,” Stannard said. “We’ve got quite a range in here, which is exciting to see as well. It’s like everybody is on the top of their game and kind of showing what’s cutting edge in design land.”
Stannard’s own design incorporates lace reused from a previous garment, a wicker basket bodice and upcycled fabric rosettes. Designers from universities across the United States are represented in “Hemp Impressions”, but spots were limited.
Designers had to use over 50% hemp fiber or textiles to create their piece. Each look was then photographed and sent to a blind jury, who determined what garments would make it into the final exhibit. Dr. Mary Elliott, TAM Instructor and Internship Coordinator, decided to apply for the exhibit while she was working on an embroidery project for a different class. She combined her love for embellishment and her willingness to experiment to create her piece.
“One of the things that sort of always gets my creative juices flowing is the actual textile product itself,” Elliott said. “Just the idea of getting to work with a fabric I had never worked with before was interesting to me.” Her look highlights intricate Shisha mirror embroidery, which originated in Persia and grew popular in the United States in the ‘70s.
Martha Rigney, a junior TAM major, also designed a look that made it successfully into the exhibit. She was inspired by denim and diamonds to make her bedazzled hemp fiber garment. “I thought it would be a cool opportunity to take a fabric that people don’t know much about and elevate it using that trend and make something that I think people around here would actually buy from a boutique,” Rigney said. Rigney is excited to be part of an initiative that spreads awareness on hemp’s eco-friendly nature and versatile design qualities.
“Hemp is a growing agricultural product in the United States, and I think it’s really important to know your options in the textile industry,” Rigney said. “I think it’s super cool to get in on the first push to popularize such an unknown fiber. I saw some really cool ideas, and I think it was really inspiring.”
“Hemp Impressions” will be on display in the lobby of the LSU Human Ecology Building through Oct. 31. From Nov. 7-9, the garments will move to a pop-up exhibit at Louisiana’s Old State Capitol. Stannard will give a special lecture in conjunction with the showcase at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8. Stannard has been proud to curate an exhibit that pushes the window of sustainability and creativity in the fashion industry.
“I’ve been in this game for a long time,” Stannard said. “I’m always interested in new areas where I can exhibit design work. I’m always looking for new ways to help my fellow design people and students to have places to exhibit their work and experience new things. It’s a beautiful, beautiful textile.”
Funding for the showcase was provided by the LSU AgCenter, Therapeutic Cannabis Research Initiative, which will conduct its own research regarding customer attitudes toward hemp fabric.
The LSU Department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising (TAM) presents its newest exhibit, “Hemp Impressions: Sustainable Fiber and Fashion Reimagined,” which displays diverse garments created using hemp fiber fabrics. The exhibit celebrates the versatility and sustainable potential of industrial hemp fabrics in clothing design. will Dr. Casey Stannard, TAM Associate Professor and the exhibit curator, feels that the showcase has important implications for the future of the fashion industry. “It’s something where professors who are familiar with the fiber and its sustainable potential, they’re going to promote it within their classrooms, which is going to get to future designers and get out into the industry,” Stannard said. “It’s sort of a ground up approach.”
Designers had to use over 50% hemp fiber or textiles to create their piece. Each look was then photographed and sent to a blind jury, who determined what garments would make it into the final exhibit. Dr. Mary Elliott, TAM Instructor and Internship Coordinator, decided to apply for the exhibit while she was working on an embroidery project for a different class. She combined her love for embellishment and her willingness to experiment to create her piece.
