"Farm Waste Fashionistas" program highlights CEHS scientist Yiqi Yang

28 Mar 2014    

“In the near future, when you reach for your favorite shirt or sweater – textile scientist Yiqi Yang wants you to thank CORN – not cotton – for that soft, comfortable feel.

Corn?  Yup.

Yang thinks part of the world’s most abundant grain may one day rival cotton as the future of textiles.

Yang develops sustainable bio-based textile fibers as a biochemical engineer at the University of Nebraska’s Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design.  “All clothing is created from fibers,” says Yang.  Some are natural, from plants and animals, like cotton, linen, and wool.  Others are manufactured from oil-based synthetics, including polyester, spandex, and nylon.  The clothing we wear is determined by the supply and demand of natural and synthetic fibers.”

For more information and to see a video, please visit QUEST: The Science of Sustainability. QUEST is a collaboration of six PBS/NPR stations, including Nebraska Educational Telecommunications.

NET television will broadcast “Farm Waste Fashionistas” May 7 at 10:00 p.m., and May 9 at 7:30 p.m.