Men and women have always adorned themselves with a variety of animal and plant products for various purposes, including protection, decoration, group identification, and status. The manipulation of these resources to form apparel, accessories, and textiles has evolved over the millennia from hand methods to mechanized technologies. Today, there exists a multi-trillion dollar global industry that employs hundreds of millions of people and utilizes incredible amounts of raw materials and natural resources.

The raw animal and plant resources that constituted the original forms of human adornment are still used and often exploited within today’s apparel and textile industry. The Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection (MHCTC) highlights each of these raw materials in an exhibition series titled Origins – Dress and Textiles. Campus and digital exhibitions provide access to over 400 dress and textile artifacts of natural and synthetic origins, as well as sustainable and environmentally-friendly Alternatives. As we become increasingly removed from the production of what we wear, Origins- Dress and Textiles reminds us of the natural sources from which our adornment derives. Click below to access each exhibition.