Vinyl- and Polyurethane-Coated Fabrics in Fashion Collections: Exploring Material Subtleties Through a Multi-Analytical Approach

Joana Tomás Ferreira, Adriana Rizzo, Gisela Ferreira, Fernanda Carvalho, David Macário and Susana França de Sá

https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage812051

Polyurethane in Fashion: Understanding the Blooming Phenomenon and Its Conservation Challenges

Susana França de Sá

ConCoRes - 5º Congresso de Conservação e Restauro, March 22 and March 29, 2025.

Participation in a round table on "Polymers and Fashion"

Susana França de Sá, Madalena Carita, Inês Correia

ConCoRes - 5º Congresso de Conservação e Restauro, March 22 and March 29, 2025.

To clean or not to clean? Reversing a trend of conservation failures when dealing with blooming in TPUs

Joana Tomás Ferreira, Joy Mazurek, Adriana Rizzo, Anna Laganà, Susana França de Sá

FUTURE TALKS 025 - From failure to success. Innovative case studies in the conservation of the modern, 5-7 November 2025.

The InBloom project, “Investigating the impact of blooming on polyurethane-coated fabrics to support conservation decisions in fashion and design collections” funded by FCT (2023.11375.PEX), will be featured in the International Symposium on Museology and Conservation, to be held at MUDE – Museum of Design (Lisbon), from 23 to 25 July 2026.

The symposium includes a panel dedicated to InBloom, where the project's key outcomes will be presented to encourage discussion and knowledge exchange on blooming in TPU-coated fabrics. A workshop is also planned for a limited number of participants interested in deepening their understanding on blooming.

Under the topic “Between Exhibition Gallery and Storage – Redesigning Museum Conservation Practices”, the symposium invites conservators, museologists, curators, designers and researchers to reflect on how conservation practices are (re)shaped, negotiated and transformed through the institutional, conceptual and spatial dynamics of museums.

More information here. 

FOREVER FASHION

The InBloom project is referenced in the Getty publication "Forever Fashion", which addresses the conservation challenges of modern and synthetic materials in fashion collections, reinforcing the relevance of research on blooming in polyurethane-coated textiles.

Moira Notarstefano Gray. Forever Fashion (2025), Getty. https://www.getty.edu/news/getty-conservators-preserving-plastic-fashion/

MONTEIRO FABRICS | 26 JULY 2025 | PORTO, PORTUGAL

The technical visit to Monteiro Fabrics, a company specialised in coated fabric production, provided direct insight into its manufacturing processes. The visit focused on observing the different production stages and identifying material selection criteria for textile substrates and polymer coatings. Discussions also addressed the relation between chemical composition, functional performance, and long-term conservation and sustainability challenges.

MARIA GAMBINA | 27 JULY 2025 | PORTO, PORTUGAL

An interview of fashion designer Maria Gambina, author of several InBloom case studies, was conducted at her studio. The visit aimed to understand her creative process in developing garments incorporating coated fabrics, to discuss the perceived aesthetic and communicative impact of blooming and to explore conservation and display strategies for these material alterations.

TINTEX | 29 JULY 2025 | VILA NOVA DE CERVEIRA, PORTUGAL

A technical visit to Tintex allowed the team to observe industrial textile coating practices and discuss the company's experience with blooming and material stability. The visit included discussions on coating formulations based on aqueous TPU dispersions, finishing techniques and internal testing procedures, as well as observation of coated fabrics exhibiting blooming.

COURRÈGES ARCHIVE | 20-23 OCTOBER 2025 | PARIS, FRANCE

The field mission to the Courrèges Archive aimed to collect additional case-study samples for ongoing research on blooming TPU-coated fabrics in fashion collections. The visit also enabled the gathering of complementary information on storage conditions, material composition, and the perceived visual and conservation impact of blooming.

Courrèges' extensive use of TPU-coated textiles in the 1970s makes the archive a key historical reference for understanding degradation mechanisms and informing conservation strategies.

MUDE | 3 NOVEMBER 2025 | LISBON, PORTUGAL

Project partners from Getty and The Met visited the MUDE storage to examine InBloom case-study garments. Each item was examined individually to discuss the occurrence of blooming, allowing the team to better understand the garments' visual and material characteristics beyond what photographs can show. Selected samples were distributed to partners for further characterisation.

EXPO FCT | 30 APRIL 2025 | NOVA FCT, PORTUGAL

The InBloom project participated in Expo FCT, the annual open day at NOVA School of Science and Technology, with the "Out of Fashion: O que fazer quando a moda se degrada?" activity for pre-university students. The activity explored the fragility of contemporary fashion materials, focusing on PVC- and TPU-coated fabrics. Participants examined fabrics at macro and microscopic scales, learned about cleaning and preservation strategies and engaged in discussions on the conservation and sustainability of "disposable fashion".

ICOM-CC ATSR | 21 MAY 2025 | NOVA FCT, PORTUGAL

The InBloom team hosted members of the ICOM-CC Art Technological Source Research (ATSR) working group, presenting the project and ongoing research on TPU-coated fabrics in design and fashion collections. Visitors were shown case studies and technical documentation highlighting the significance of the project, the challenges posed by blooming TPU-coated fabrics and the value of cross-disciplinary approaches in heritage research.