Textile Students win First Prize in 2015 Fabric Graphics Competition

Winning textile by Sarah McMahon and Sarah Haas

Sarah McMahon, M.S. Textile Design and Sarah Haas, M.S. Textile Engineering were recently awarded first place in the 2015 Fabric Graphics Student Design Challenge.  Their submission, entitled ‘Antimicrobial Artwork,’ brought together functionality and aesthetics to textiles.  In their research, they found that  “ healthcare-acquired infections are an ever-growing problem that hospitals face, regardless of the socioeconomic status of the country. Textiles imbued with antimicrobial characteristics are being sought for their ability to kill and/or inhibit the growth of microorganisms. We found that both tea tree essential oil and eucalyptus essential oil, combined with a binding agent, inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium well known to cause healthcare-acquired infections. “

In looking for an end-use, textiles with antimicrobial finishes currently exist in hospitals in the form of separating curtains and chair coverings.  Colorful artwork is already on display in children’s hospitals, but serves an aesthetic purpose. The design is unique in that the two elements of function and design are combined into one product to serve both the antimicrobial and aesthetic needs in the children’s hospital setting.  Adding art is an essential element to this product because the end goal is to brighten a space that often has a negative connotation.

“We're so honored with the recognition and are excited to travel to Anaheim to present our work.”

Congratulations to Sarah and Sarah upon this well deserved award.