Thrift Style
NEW!
Thrift Style explores the reuse of feed sacks to make clothing and other household objects and illuminates how the “upcycling” of these bags mutually benefitted twentieth-century consumers and businesses. With forty-one works from patterns to garments, it serves as an example of past ingenuity that can inform today’s efforts towards sustainability.
The exhibition, organized by the Historic Costume and Textile Museum of Kansas State University, provides a nostalgic view into American ingenuity, sensibility, and optimism during a particularly challenging time of economic hardship and war—the period of the Great Depression and World War II. The reuse of feed, flour, and sugar sacks was a cost-saving and resource-saving approach employed by homemakers to make new items to meet their families’ needs.
In the 1920s and ‘30s, manufacturers began producing patterned and colored feed sacks to give home seamstresses more options. During World War II, the federal government limited fabric use for individual garments and homemakers were obligated to use thrifty approaches to repurpose what was available to them. As fabrics from feed sacks were not considered a limited resource, women turned to them as an accessible and patriotic option during the war effort. In response, trade organizations and manufacturers promoted the thrifty use of feed sack fabric by publishing how-to brochures and booklets with clothing designs, mending instructions, and other suggestions for restyling clothes.
The artifacts in the exhibition demonstrate a mutual goal of sustainability, with local businesses—mills and feed and seed operations—tailoring product design and marketing campaigns to attract customers; and consumers using their imaginations and practical skills to tailor clothing, aprons, quilts, dolls, and more out of the industry’s byproduct: feed sack cotton.
This exhibition offers a snapshot of domestic life during this time, when recycling was as critical as it is today, and it provides one of the best examples of upcycling in our nation’s history.
Tour Schedule
Thrift Style is touring May 2020 through April 2025. The dates below reflect five-week exhibition periods. Dates are subject to change; please contact MoreArt@maaa.org or (800) 473-3872 x208/209 for current availability.
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May 15–August 16, 2020
Irving Archives & Museum
Irving, TX pending -
September 1–October 5, 2020
West Baton Rouge Museum
Baton Rouge, LA pending -
October 21–November 30, 2020
available -
December 15, 2020–January 19, 2021
Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum
Temple, TX pending -
February 3–March 10, 2021
available -
March 25–April 30, 2021
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Channahon, IL pending -
May 15–June 20, 2021
Rochester Central Library
Rochester, NY pending -
July 5–August 16, 2021
Living History Farms
Urbandale, IA pending -
September 1–October 5, 2021
Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center
Enid, OK pending -
October 21–November 30, 2021
available -
December 15, 2021–January 19, 2022
available -
February 3–March 10, 2022
available -
March 25–April 30, 2022
available -
May 15–June 20, 2022
Refurbishment
Kansas City, MO booked -
July 5–August 16, 2022
available -
September 1–October 5, 2022
Refurbishment
Kansas City, MO booked -
October 21–November 30, 2022
available -
December 15, 2022–January 19, 2023
available -
February 3–March 10, 2023
available -
March 25–April 30, 2023
available -
May 15–June 20, 2023
available -
July 5–August 16, 2023
available -
September 1–October 5, 2023
available -
October 21–November 30, 2023
available -
December 15, 2023–January 19, 2024
available -
February 3–March 10, 2024
available -
March 25–April 30, 2024
available -
May 15–June 20, 2024
available -
July 5–August 16, 2024
available -
September 1–October 5, 2024
available -
October 21–November 30, 2024
available -
December 15, 2024–January 19, 2025
available -
February 3–March 10, 2025
available -
March 25–April 30, 2025
Louisiana's Old State Capitol
Baton Rouge, LA pending
Exhibition Details
Fee Includes
Press Kit
Registrar’s Packet
Programming Guide
Gallery Guide
Text Panels
Narrative Labels
Full Insurance
Installation Instructions
Custom-Designed and Built Crates
Content
forty-one works
Curated By
Organized By
Historic Costume and Textile Museum of Kansas State University
Out-of-Region Rental Fee
$4,200
In-Region Rental Fee
$2,940
Duration
5-week display
Shipping
Van Line
Running Feet
165
Square Feet
TBD
Security
Moderate A
Number of Crates/Total Weight
five estimated
Insurance
The exhibition is fully insured by ExhibitsUSA at no additional expense to you, both while installed and during transit.