Maia Rauh x’24, Lucy Weber ’23 and Emma Stavenhagen x’24 swept the competition in the inaugural NEXTILE: The Soy in Textiles Design Challenge. Working as a team, Rauh and Weber won first place, while Stavenhagen won second place for her individual project.

Applicants from across the country competed to create the next great innovation in soy-based products. Students in Marianne Fairbanks’ — Audrey Rothermel Bascom Professor and associate professor of Design Studies — classes were invited to leverage their creative and problem-solving skills to produce the next sustainable innovation in textile design.
Rauh and Weber created a soy-based candle that takes on multiple forms after its last burn. With this candle that can become a glass, bookmark, compostable paper lid and coaster — Rauh and Weber hope their product invites consumers to appreciate the handcrafted appeal of each element and discover functional uses to incorporate into their lifestyles. As first place winners, Rauh and Weber advanced to compete for a scholarship prize in the NEXTILE national finals.

Stavenhagen created a quilted bedding collection that uses sustainable properties of soybean fabric. Soy is machine washable and non-toxic — perfect for bedding products geared toward eco-conscious consumers who want luxurious, environmental-responsible options. Stavenhagen designed digital illustrations to show how soybean fabric can be beautifully incorporated into functional, everyday bedroom linens.

Congratulations to the winners – human ecologists making an impact in the textiles and design world.