Teamwork Produces Winning Research!

Dr. Andy Reilly, Jordan Antonio, and Dr. Youngjin Bahng received a Paper of Distinction Award from the International Textile and Apparel Association at the annual meeting in November 2025. Their paper focused on sustainability efforts used by Kānaka Maoli fashion designers. They found that ʻaloha aina (love of the land) guides Kānaka Maoli when designing and manufacturing garments. Designers focus on considering the environment in all aspects of the process, including selecting organic and durable textiles, using local manufacturing resources when possible, focusing on quality over quantity, and upcycling or reusing textile waste. Each team member brought their expertise to this project—Andy Reilly focuses Hawaiʻi fashion, graduate student Jordan Antonio on language, and Youngjin Bahng on sustainability—to showcase how ancient wisdom can help mitigate waste in the local fashion industry.

By Andy Reilly