From white aprons and apple pies to the cutting edge of technology, the ISU Textiles and Clothing Department has evolved from a home economics department to an advanced industry-standard department in the last 20 years. In 1980, the Textiles and Clothing Department was a part of the College of Home Economics, but today it is a part of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. The department’s professors and students are taking advantage of the sewing and computer labs, which have drawn the department away from its home economics stereotype. “The whole package gives them a better chance at a job,” said Ruth Glock, adjunct assistant professor of textiles and clothing. The sewing lab, known as the Production Technology Lab, once housed many home-sewing machines. Today, the lab is filled with industry-standard machines that are at the height of technology. “The sewing speeds on these are astronomically fast,” said James Campbell, assistant professor of textiles and clothing. The Production Technology Lab gives students hands-on knowledge about the production process for apparel, professors said. Glock said she believes it is important for all textiles and clothing students to learn how a garment is produced. Whether students specialize in design, manufacturing or purchasing, she said the Production Technology Lab provides a strong base for them to build on. “The production lab now gives students a realistic idea of how a garment gets made in mass production,” Glock said. “It helps them in communication with manufacturers who are going to produce their garments.” Students now can see firsthand how garments are made in mass production on industry machines, an opportunity that was not possible with the simple home-sewing machines. Professors said the textiles and clothing computer lab, known as the Instructional Technology Lab, is an integral part of each textiles and clothing course. The software used in the computer lab for the courses includes industry-specific and off-the-shelf software. “I want my students to understand all levels of software,” Campbell said. The industry-specific software textiles and clothing students use are Monarch Pointaree for creating designs, PAD for pattern-making and SnapFashun, a flat illustration library, Campbell said. Students must be properly trained before they are allowed to use these programs. The off-the-shelf software used in the Instructional Technology Lab are Photoshop and Illustrator. Glock and Campbell agree the whole department now has more of an industry focus. “Students are in a better position in the industry,” Campbell said.