MEDIA CONTACTS:
Julia Garbitt: julia [dot] metjian
gwu [dot] edu, 617-921-4904
Chita Middleton: chitagwu [dot] edu (chita[at]gwu[dot]edu), 202-994-5593
WASHINGTON (October 16, 2025)—Experts from around the world will explore future-oriented approaches to textile production and consumption during the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center's next virtual roundtable, "Textile Futures," on November 6 and 7. Inspired by themes from the current exhibition "Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion," speakers from the fashion industry, textile arts, and academia, will highlight pathways toward more responsible fashion and the preservation of textile heritage worldwide.
The exhibition, “Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion,” on view at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum through April 11, 2026, explores three strategies for addressing today’s fashion crisis: extending a garment’s longevity, promoting recycling and reuse, and embracing local materials.
Drawing from its world-renowned collection, the exhibition highlights how cultures across time have cherished the resources needed to make textiles. These historical examples are presented in conversation with the work of contemporary designers who are reimagining responsible fashion today.
The museum’s Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center is dedicated to textile research and houses the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection, which represents a lifetime of collecting by business leader and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen (1929-2017). One of the world’s most significant textile study collections, it comprises nearly 4,000 fragments dating from antiquity to the present, offering insights into human creativity around the world.
To join the roundtable, which is a free program open to the public, early registration is recommended. Registrants will receive links and details for joining each day of the roundtable on Zoom, as well as a program with a detailed schedule. The schedule with speakers and topics follows:
Thursday, November 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Lessons in Responsible Fashion
Panel 1: Old Methods, New Applications
Source Material: Lessons in Responsible Fashion
Katrina Orsini, programs associate for academic engagement, The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C.
Kumihimo Braiding: From Traditional to High-Tech
Makiko Tada, artist and expert in braiding, Japan
Strip Cloth Reimagined with Upcycled Denim
Nkwo Onwuka, designer and founder, NKWO Design, Nigeria
Panel discussion and Q&A
Panel 2: New Materials and Technologies
Rejuvenated Fibers from Textile Waste and Renewable Energy in Textiles
Abhishek Bansal, head of sustainability, Arvind Limited, India
E-Textiles
Stephen Beeby, professor of Electronic Systems & Device, University of Southampton, England
The Viability of Bio Materials for Fashion Projects
Charlotte McCurdy, designer, researcher and educator, Stanford University, California
Panel discussion and Q&A
Friday, November 7, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Introduction to the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection
Panel 1: Traditions and Transitions
Embroidery, Craft Heritage, and Women’s Autonomy
Karishma Swali, creative director, Chanakya International, founder and chairperson, Chanakya School of Craft, India
Conscious Velvet: Tiziano Guardini and Bevilacqua Reimagine Tradition
Tiziano Guardini, conscious creative director, designer and co-founder, Guardini Ciuffreda Studio, Italy
Timeless: Textile Traditions, New Ideas, and Experiments
Hector Manuel Meneses Lozano, Director, Textile Museum of Oaxaca, Mexico
Panel discussion and Q&A
The roundtable and exhibition take place during The Textile Museum's centennial, as well as the 10th anniversary since it reopened as The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum on the university's Foggy Bottom campus. Founded in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers (1875-1957), The Textile Museum was originally housed in two historic buildings in D.C.'s Kalorama neighborhood. One of the world's leading textile and academic museums, The Textile Museum today has a renowned collection of some 21,000 handmade textiles, which represents five continents and five millennia.
Visiting Information
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum is located on GW’s Foggy Bottom campus at 701 21st St. NW, in Washington, D.C., just blocks from the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, White House, Kennedy Center and the National Mall. Galleries are open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on university holidays. Admission to the museum is free. For information on the museum's visiting hours, exhibitions and educational programs, please check the museum website.
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