About Magazine Podcasts Events
Museum Hours:Wednesday–Saturday, 10AM–5PM

Second Skin: The Science of Stretch

Learn about the materials and techniques used to create stretch and compression fabrics.

On view November 4, 2016–May 13, 2017
Hach Gallery

Learn about the materials and techniques used to create stretch and compression fabrics over the past century. From 1920s corsets and girdles to today’s lymphedema sleeves with a fashionable flair, these second skins changed how we move through the world.

Generous support for Second Skin: The Science of Stretch was provided by the Alafi Family Foundation.

You may also like

prototype crayon samples depicting a variety of skin tones

Redefining Nude

Many everyday items are described as “flesh” and “nude” in color. Whose skin color do they represent?
Image of a woman's legs. She is wearing red yoga pants and yellow sneakers. She is reclining on a couch. In the background is the blurred image of a city skyline.

The Yoga Pant Problem

The rise of synthetic fibers and the war on cotton.

Nylon: From Labs to Legs

Discover the world’s first fully synthetic fiber and how it paved the way for countless other artificial materials.

    Republish

    Copy the above HTML to republish this content. We have formatted the material to follow our guidelines, which include our credit requirements. Please review our full list of guidelines for more information. By republishing this content, you agree to our republication requirements.