The Synthetics Revolution: Man-made fibres and everyday fashion
ULITA - an Archive of International Textiles
St.Wilfred’s Chapel
Maurice Keyworth Building
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
22 June to 1 December 2016
A collaboration between the Yorkshire Fashion Archive, ULITA – an Archive of International Textiles and the Enterprise of Culture project at the University of Leeds culminated in this exhibition charting the rise of the synthetic fibre in everyday clothing in Yorkshire in the twentieth century.
The rise of man-made and synthetic fibres has placed ‘miracle’ materials at the heart of the modern fashion system. Today, these high-performance test-tube materials are found in clothing, furnishings and household goods. From the mid twentieth century, firms such the DuPont Company, ICI and Courtaulds revolutionized people’s relationships with fibres by making and promoting a family of man-made and synthetic fibres, including rayon, nylon, polyester and acrylic. DuPont, the world’s largest fibre manufacturer, publicised one new material (acrylic) as a ‘better fibre by design than a sheep produces inadvertently’.
Drawing on university archive collections, the exhibition delved into how the introduction of synthetic fibres into a predominantly woollen manufacturing area, Yorkshire, had an impact on the lives of its inhabitants and changed the face of the textile industry in the region. Synthetic fibres were a global phenomenon but many technical innovations originated in Yorkshire.
One of the aims of this exhibition was to highlight the existence of these two importance archives on campus, to give a glimpse into the range of items they include and to encourage audiences to engage with them.
Through a public programme, the exhibition investigated the experiences of people in Yorkshire as they came to know the new wonder fibres during a period of steadily increasing mass consumption — and their love/hate relationship with them.
Open 22 June to 21 July and 4 October to 1 December 2016 (August/September by appointment)
Exhibition opening hours: Tuesdays to Thursdays 09:30 – 16:30, Fridays by appointment
Private view: 28 June 2016
See the ULITA website for venue information.
Associated events included:
12 December 2016
The Synthetics Revolution: Man-made fibres and everyday fashion - exhibition late opening
An evening to mark the conclusion of this collaborative project and for a last chance to see the exhibition before it closes.
22 June to 1 December 2016
The Synthetics Revolution
An exhibition of man-made fibres and everyday fashion, in partnership with the Yorkshire Fashion Archive and ULITA - An Archive of International Textiles
24 September 2016
Make Do and Mend: A Macmillan Coffee Morning
The Enterprise of Culture will be teaming up with ULITA-an Archive of International Textiles to provide some craft activities on a synthetic fibres theme, at this event organised by the M&S Company Archive.
4 October 2016
Advertising the Synthetics Revolution
A private view to mark the re-opening of our exhibition, The Synthetics Revolution, with a wine reception, talks from the curatorial team and guest speaker Professor Regina Lee Blaszczyk on how the world’s largest chemical company influenced post-war fashion.
For more details, please email enterpriseofculture@leeds.ac.uk
The exhibition was financially supported by HERA II (Humanities in the European Research Area) and the EU-funded Rethinking Textiles project.