Erin Irick

Associate Professor
Design, Merchandising and Textiles Program Option

Education

Ph.D. in Human Sciences, specialization in Apparel Design and Production - Oklahoma State University

M.S. in Apparel, Textiles and Interior Design, specialization in Apparel Design - Kansas State University

B.S. in Apparel and Textile Merchandising - Kansas State University

Research Interests

I believe that research should be applicable to the real world with the intent of bettering the lives of the citizens of the planet and the planet itself. My current and future research interests lie in the area of apparel and textile sustainability, more specifically, repurposing second-hand apparel and textiles into new products. My recent research has focused on the consumer behavior and the product development process of repurposed apparel and textile products.

Creative Scholarship

I believe that creative scholarship should be research based. It should be an exploration of a problem or a process that results in something that is functional, but also aesthetically pleasing. Similarly to my research agenda, my creative scholarship also incorporates sustainability into apparel design. This is done through the use of repurposed materials and textile design using environmentally-friendly dyes. I have experience with various dyeing techniques such as shibori and batik, as well as digital textile design.