Outcomes


	CONFERENCES

	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.


	PRESS

Forever Fashion

The InBloom project was featured in the “Forever Fashion” article on the Getty’s. Anna Lagana and the Getty Conservation Institute spotlighted the challenges and innovations in conserving synthetic materials in fashion.

https://www.getty.edu/news/getty-conservators-preserving-plastic-fashion/ by Moira Notarstefano Gray, 2025.


	MISSION

	Monteiro Fabrics The InBloom team from NOVA School of Science and Technology (SST) visited Porto to engage stakeholders in discussions on the preservation of fashion and product design pieces made with TPU-coated fabrics. At Monteiro Fabrics, the team observed the full production process of coated fabrics and discussed the chemical compositions and conservation challenges associated with these materials.
	Maria Gambina The InBloom team from NOVA SST conducted an in-person interview with designer Maria Gambina at her studio as part of Task 4 of the project. The interview focused on understanding her creative process in the development of pieces incorporating coated fabrics, reflecting on the perception and aesthetic impact of blooming, and exploring the conservation and display strategies she considers appropriate in response to this type of material alteration.
	Tintex The InBloom team from NOVA SST visited Tintex to engage stakeholders in discussions on the preservation of fashion and product design pieces made with TPU-coated fabrics. The visit provided an overview of the company’s production processes, material choices, and strong commitment to sustainability. Discussions covered coating application methods, multilayer structures, and quality control testing, as well as challenges related to the blooming occurrence.
	André Courrèges Archive The InBloom team from NOVA SST conducted a field mission to the Courrèges Archive to collect additional case-study samples from TPU-coated garments exhibiting blooming. The visit also enabled the gathering of detailed technical, historical, and contextual information, including storage conditions, material composition, and the Heritage Manager’s perspective on the visual and conservation impact of blooming. The mission contributed significantly to the documentation of the garments and strengthened collaboration between the research project and the Courrèges Archive.


	OTHER ACTIVITIES

ICOM-CC ATSR

The InBloom project was presented to the ICOM-CC ATSR conference participants during their visit to the Department and laboratory facilities.

EXPO FCT

EXPO FCT is an open day event organized by NOVA School of Science and Technology, aimed at introducing high school students to the fields of Science, Engineering, and Technology.

The Department of Conservation and Restoration was represented through several of its areas of specialization, including the conservation of modern synthetic materials, where the InBloom project was showcased.