Madisons Innovative

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Pasadena, CA
Madisons Innovative

Madisons Innovative Materials was created in 2012 by Kristine Upesleja. Leaders of Innovation and Sustainability in the Apparel and Textile Industry

A consultancy focused on innovative materials, processes, and trends in the fashion and design world.

10/24/2025

Life Update!

I’m excited to share that, while continuing to lead MADISONS – Innovative Materials, I stepped into a new role earlier this fall as Faculty Director at ArtCenter College of Design, where I manage the CMTEL Lab and teach my Wearables: Material Futures class.

After many inspiring years at the FIDM Innovative Textiles & Materials Department, where I founded and managed the Innovative Materials Library, it’s been rewarding to expand this work in new ways — connecting education, research, and sustainability.

I’m also teaching at Otis College of Art and Design, exploring the future of materials, technology, and design with the next generation of innovators.

If you’d like to visit the CMTEL Lab, collaborate, or simply reconnect, please reach out. I’d love to stay in touch as our community finds new ways to work together.

10/07/2025

First project as Faculty Director of the Colors, Materials + Trends Exploration Lab (CMTEL)

Thrilled to launch the new exhibit at — part of .artcenter rotating showcase of bio-based innovation, currently featuring the visionary work of alumna Vicki Von Holzhausen and her team.

Up through spring — stop by and see how the future of sustainable design is taking shape!

09/30/2024

🌍✨ Say hello to Unspun, the revolutionary force in sustainable fashion! With their groundbreaking Vega™ 3D weaving technology, they’re changing the game by enabling on-demand production that weaves yarn directly into garments. This innovative approach minimizes waste and transport emissions, embracing a zero-inventory model that produces clothing only as needed. Currently showcasing this with a custom-fit denim brand, Unspun is also teaming up with eco-conscious brands to decarbonize fashion supply chains. The future of fashion just got a whole lot greener!

08/21/2024

Say hello to the future of fashion with dissolvable smart textiles made from gelatin! 🌟🧪 Researchers at the ATLAS Institute have unveiled “biofibres” that dissolve in hot water, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional textiles. The game-changer? A compact, DIY machine costing just $560 that allows anyone to spin custom fibers right from their desk! 🌱👕 Not only does this innovation address textile waste by making recycling a breeze, but it also brings eco-friendly design to your fingertips. Dive into how this breakthrough could transform fashion and reduce waste on my blog!

07/23/2024

Incredible! 😍 Discover yet another innovation with 3D Bio-Tissues (3DBT) and their revolutionary lab-grown leather! 🌿✨ This groundbreaking innovation transforms the leather industry by creating ‘tissue-engineered skin’ from cells taken painlessly from adult horses. Over just six weeks, 3DBT grows this leather without plastics or cellulose, reducing environmental impacts and offering a cruelty-free alternative. The leather is versatile—ideal for handbags, footwear, and more—while being compatible with both traditional and eco-friendly tanning processes. 🌍💚

07/15/2024

🌿🚣‍♂️ Dive into the world of innovative materials with us! While not fashion, Sam Shoemaker's 15ft mycelium boat is a game-changer in sustainability and creativity. Curious to learn more? Head over to my blog, linked below, for the full scoop! Absolutely an inspiring story that pushes the boundaries of eco-design! 🌊✨

madisonsinnovative.com/blog

Images by Ian Byers-Gamber

06/28/2024

😱 Who knew fashion could be both jaw-dropping and planet-saving? Simplifyber is here to shake things up with their mind-blowing 3D-moulding process! 🌍♻️ Crafting biodegradable t-shirts and shoe uppers from cellulose, they're slashing waste and carbon emissions in style. No spinning, weaving, or sewing—just molding! 🌿✨ Dive into the future of sustainable fashion with Simplifyber.

06/11/2024

🍁 Fall 2024 classes are coming up soon! 🍁 Our highly sought-after Wearables: Material Futures course is back at . I’m continually amazed by the mind-blowing creations students have crafted over the years—from making materials from scratch to designing soft goods and wearables. Explore, create, and innovate with cutting-edge materials. 🌱 Learn to grow mycelium at home and master dyeing with fruits, vegetables, and other natural sources. Students will craft their own materials from plastics and food waste, fabricate with unique bio-synthetics, and dive into cutting-edge AI and 3D printing techniques. Unleash your creativity with the magical 3D pen and push the boundaries of what’s possible. ✨ Sign up now so you don’t miss this opportunity to pioneer the future of wearable technology! 🛠️

Open to all majors this fall.
📅 Sat 9am-2pm
📍 1111 S. Arroyo Pkwy, Room 640

05/09/2024

🌟 Brace yourselves, trendsetters! (I know I had to.) The fashion scene just got a serious upgrade thanks to generative AI with TheNewBlack.ai 💫 This sleek web app is like your style sidekick, whipping up designs that are as fresh and unique as you are. 🎨 Think of it as your personal fashion assistant – the New Black could be your new secret weapon. If only this was around during my early years as a costume designer... Try it out and tag me in your designs! 💥

04/24/2024

Yass! and have joined forces to unveil VEGEA: a grape-powered alternative to leather that's as eco-friendly as it is chic. 🍇✨ Crafted from renewable and recycled elements, it's a stylish nod to sustainability in fashion. 🌟

04/03/2024

🌱👗 Rootfull is changing the game with their plant root textile! 🌿 Using patent-pending tech, they're cultivating materials for fashion and interiors. 💫 Transforming fibrous substrates into fresh, eco-friendly surfaces, they're leading the charge towards a plastic-free future! 🌍💥

03/20/2024

🌾🥩 Hold onto your taste buds, because "beef rice" is here to shake up your plate! 🎉 Developed by the brilliant minds at Yonsei University, this groundbreaking creation merges lab-grown beef with rice grains, delivering a protein-packed, planet-friendly dish that's as delicious as it is sustainable! 🍚💥 Say goodbye to GMO fears – this innovation is all about paving the way for a greener, tastier future! 🌱😋

Address

1700 Lida St
Pasadena, CA
91103

Website

http://www.madisonsinnovative.com/

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