The billboard used for this garment was acquired from the industrial thrift store, Repurposed Materials. The HRCloud billboard was originally from 2011, made of double-sided vinyl, and measured 10’ x 22’8”. After initially handling the billboard, my hands were black from the dirt that had built up on the billboard during its life. So, after cutting out my pattern pieces, I soaked and scrubbed all the pieces in a bathtub filled with dawn dish soap and laundry detergent.

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After sewing several test products, I learned it was difficult to sew sleeves and legs because there was no stretch to the vinyl. Thus, I decided a sleeveless dress would be best to allow the wearer mobility and ventilation. The design process began by mapping out a design on a dress form with twill tape and draping with muslin. Then, I decided to do a “muslin” dress with the billboard material to familiarize myself with the process and determine the best techniques to handle the challenging material. I quickly discovered that there is little room for error as any hole put in the fabric would be a permanent visible mark. Thus, I had to use tape instead of sewing pins to hold the material together. In accordance with O’Rourke-Kaplan’s (2013) findings, although the material is extremely thin, it is also extremely rigid. The material is unable to be ironed which made top stitching the best choice for clean seam appearances. I also used an industrial Juki sewing machine with heavy duty thread and a longer stitch length. Seams and edges were serged and top stitched in place to maintain a crisp appearance. Due to the minimal breathability of the material, I added invisible zippers on the sides of the dress to give the wearer adjustable slits for easier movement and air flow. The back of the dress features a double separating zipper, to aid in donning the dress and to provide another place for an adjustable slit.