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Held annually, the ��ɫֱ��Concept 2 Consumer (C2C) Design & Merchandising Student Competition calls on students from around the globe to show off their creations. This year&/c2cwinners26/8217;s theme, &/c2cwinners26/8220;Multipurpose Performance&/c2cwinners26/8221;, challenged students to both design and merchandise their own apparel line inspired by the theme.

The 2026 theme saw students create a versatile lines of textiles that can adapt for use in multiple settings and end uses. Students were asked to select a minimum of two use cases for their line and create a 3-8 piece collection that met the performance needs of their end uses. They also selected ��ɫֱ��quality control methods that could validate their collection performance claims for their target audience.

This theme and the multifunctional clothing the students produced directly challenged the industry wide sustainability issue of textile overconsumption, encouraging student design and merchandisers to create a line of textiles that can do more.

As part of the educational benefits provided by AATCC, students attended virtual events to learn more about test methods, quality control processes, and career insights to help them prepare their final entry. Competition sponsor Archroma also provided online access to the Color Atlas, which students were able to use to define their color palettes digitally in their entries.

��ɫֱ��thanks competition sponsors Archroma and Farhan Patel. All winners received a cash prize from ��ɫֱ��and Farhan Patel, a free year of ��ɫֱ��Student Membership, and a sponsored by Archroma.

Sponsor Archoma shared:

&/c2cwinners26/8220;The future of our industry is bright. This year&/c2cwinners26/8217;s outstanding submissions showcased the creativity, passion, and talent of the next generation of designers and merchandisers. We are proud to support their journey through innovative tools like Color Atlas by Archroma® and through initiatives such as AATCC&/c2cwinners26/8217;s educational and testing programs, which help prepare students for real-world success.&/c2cwinners26/8221;

��ɫֱ��also thanks this year’s competition developers and panel of industry judges for their contributions to textile education:

Developers:

Kerry King, NC State University •  Bethany Pollack, Draper Knitting •  Scott Wagner, Consultant • Chris Hipps, C2C Interest Group Chair, VeriVide Ltd

Judges:

Allison Clymer, Inmocean Group • Julie Katzenberger, QA Management • Farhan Patel, Alo Yoga • VV Hanwei Su, M&M Design House • Scott Wagner, Consultant • Sarah White, Consultant, The Outdoor Merchant • Kasandra Wright, Walmart • Diana Wyman, REI • Carrie Yates, Cotton Incorporated

Reserve Judges:

Grace Wu, Good Housekeeping Institute

First Place: “The Commuter Collective” by Megan Denny of Texas Tech University

Bridging the gap between athletic performance and daily office wear, &/c2cwinners26/8220;The Commuter Collective&/c2cwinners26/8221; by Megan Denny brings comfort and function for cyclist commuters. Judges complimented Denny&/c2cwinners26/8217;s thoughtful performance fabric integrations and the market readiness of her idea. Denny choose to design with Lycra, Tweave Durastretch and Polyamide fabrics to allow for durability and abrasion resistance, and incorporated micro-fleece padding inserts for a lightweight and quick-drying hidden cushion. To validate her claims, she chose TM186 Test Method for Weather Resistance: UV Light and Moisture Exposure, TM216 Test Method for Measuring the Odor Adsorbency of Textile Materials, and TM135 Test Method for Dimensional Changes of Fabrics after Home Laundering.

From Topsail Island NC but born and raised in Austin, TX, USA Denny is a rising senior at Texas Tech University studying Apparel Design and Manufacturing. On her experience in the competition, Denny shares, &/c2cwinners26/8220;Throughout the competition, I learned how a thoughtful item should be designed, with intentional care and knowledge of a target customer. I tried to place myself in my customers&/c2cwinners26/8217; daily lives, imagining how I would feel throughout my product&/c2cwinners26/8217;s two end uses, and how I would find the product beneficial to my daily tasks. I found many of my ideas through my personal experiences, including cycling, racing, and business attire events. &/c2cwinners26/8221; After graduating from Texas Tech, Denny plans pursue a career in activewear or bridal design, focusing on comfort and quality for her customers.

As first place winner, Denny will receive a US$2000 Cash Prize from AATCC, a US$300 Cash Prize sponsored by Farhan Patel, a sponsored by Archroma, and a free year of ��ɫֱ��Student Membership.

Second Place: “Nectar & Pedals” by Kay Pevehouse of Oregon State University

Kay Pevehouse chose casual wear and cycling wear as her end uses, turning the traditionally dull athletic wear into an array of brightly colored and flowing pieces fit for social settings. The cheerful colors were inspired by the Anna&/c2cwinners26/8217;s Hummingbird and it&/c2cwinners26/8217;s preferred flowers. This nature-driven approach also showed in her material choices, which included organic cotton, recycled nylons, and modal blends to bring comfort with a small ecological footprint. Judges enjoyed the alignment of her free-flowing design and branding with the plan to center in-person retail around pop-up tent experiences. To evaluate the quality and performance of her line, Pevehouse chose to use ��ɫֱ��TM195 Liquid Moisture Management Properties of Textile Fabrics, TM035 Test Method for Water Resistance: Rain, and ��ɫֱ��TM15 Colorfastness to Perspiration, keeping the wearers of this line prepared for all weather conditions.

On her experience participating in the competition, Pevehouse shared, &/c2cwinners26/8220;Through participating in the ��ɫֱ��C2C Student Design & Merchandising Competition, I developed a stronger foundation in textile testing methods, particularly for apparel that will be worn in specific use cases, and how to apply those performance considerations in my choice of materials. I took the competition as an opportunity to challenge my use of color and textiles while establishing versatility in my designs.&/c2cwinners26/8221;

Originally from Houston, TX, Pevehouse is a rising senior at Oregon State Univeristy where she attends the College of Business’s Apparel Design program. On her career goals, Pevehouse says &/c2cwinners26/8220;I plan to pursue a career in apparel design, with a long-term goal of moving into creative direction.&/c2cwinners26/8221;

As second place winner, Key Pevehouse will receive US$1500 Cash Prize from AATCC, US$200 Cash Prize sponsored by Farhan Patel, a sponsored by Archroma, and a free year of ��ɫֱ��Student Membership.

Third Place: &/c2cwinners26/8220;Golden Girl&/c2cwinners26/8221; by Monica Grace of the University of Delaware

This collection from Monica Grace was praised by judges for the most unique take on this year&/c2cwinners26/8217;s multipurpose theme: an adaptive line of senior winter wear that allows care in nursing homes and style when leaving the home for visits. This line incorporates accessible design choices such as magnetic snaps, front opening closures, elastic waistbands, and bags that can be securely hung onto walkers. Monica Grace also chose an online retail option to ensure that those who could no longer go out to shop had ready access to quality garments. Judges liked the thoughtful use of TM216 Test Method for Measuring the Odor Adsorbency of Textile Materials to ensure that the changing scent of skin with age doesn&/c2cwinners26/8217;t impact clothing comfort, which was paired with TM186 Test Method for Weather Resistance: UV Light and Moisture Exposure.

A native of Wilmington, DE, Monica Grace is a rising Senior in the Fashion Design major at the University of Delaware with a minor in Functionable Wearable Design. Grace shared, &/c2cwinners26/8221; Throughout my time preparing my competition submission, I learned about all of the vast possibilities of accessibility that clothing can provide and how much of a difference it can make in their lives.&/c2cwinners26/8221; When asked about her future career plans, Grace said &/c2cwinners26/8220;With my degree, I hope to make clothing that has accessibility functions for people who need them, but is also fashionable and doesn&/c2cwinners26/8217;t make people choose between looking good and wearing something that can help them throughout their daily lives.&/c2cwinners26/8221;

As third place winner, Monica Grace will receive US$500 Cash Prize from AATCC, US$100 Cash Prize sponsored by Farhan Patel, a sponsored by Archroma, and a free year of ��ɫֱ��Student Membership.