Year 8 Smart Textiles

As part of STEAM week, Year 8 students were able to explore the use of smart materials in a textiles workshop. Smart materials are ones that react to external stimuli such as heat, light, pressure or water. Using a stencil, photochromic and thermochromic dyes were painted onto a cotton swatch sample.  When heated, the thermochromic dyes change colour and when exposed to bright sunlight, the photochromic pigment stores and then releases light radiation back again when placed in a dark environment.  Students were able to create a range of sample pieces that could be appliqued onto a garment or fashion accessory.