ThreadUP

Autumn 2025

Project Duration: Fourteen Weeks

Project Type: Group of Two

ThreadUP is a multifunctional, durable apron that brings aspects of the commercial kitchen into the private kitchen. Made from khaki and denim, the apron features two detachable, square oven mitts. These oven mitts can be easily removed and snapped back onto the apron with magnetic button clasps.

The apron features a towel loop on one side for quick towel access. In addition, there are two pockets, one large and one small, to hold essential kitchen tools. The waist straps on either side of the apron are tied on, allowing for adjustability as the straps can be tied in the front or back of the apron depending on waist size/comfort. In addition to the straps being tied, they can easily be removed when washing the apron and its other components.

ThreadUP, a multifunctional, durable apron backed by research and built for any cooking occasion.

ThreadUP is a semester-long product development project created in collaboration with a colleague at The Ohio State University. The project was completed as part of a design course. Over three months, we conducted extensive research to inform the design and production process. This was followed by a focused two-week production phase, during which we produced ten identical aprons, each sewn by hand on a sewing machine. The finished products were sold at the 8th Annual Winter Market to raise funds for the Industrial Design Society of America at Ohio State.

The Designers

Alivia Busi

Matthew Colton

The Dinner Party Experiment

My colleague and I worked with together with in a group to conduct the dinner party experiment. As we worked together to make a the dish Shashuka, we analyzed our experience using the six A analysis- actors, artifacts, atmosphere, actions, affect, and access via body. A handful of these As we used in this analysis was later implemented in how we analyze and synthesize our data on food storage.

Food Storage Research

My colleague and I presented our research findings based around the area of food storage. We presented an overview of our research to a panel of three guest judges, our classmates, and our professor.

Big Brainstorm Session

My colleague and I presented our research findings based around the area of food storage. We presented an overview of our research to a panel of three guest judges, our classmates, and our professor.

Magnets

Soft Goods

Reclaimed Textures

Secondary Research

My partner and I conducted secondary research from books at The Ohio State University Libraries, including Thompson Library and The Fine Arts Library, to gain inspiration on kitchen principles and fabric designs.

Photo derived from Kitchen Junk by Mary Randoff

Photos derived from the book Making the Most of Kitchens

Concept Proposals

Based on our research findings, my partner and I gave a formal presentation proposing two concepts. We presented to our classmates, professor, and a panel of seven judges from various companies around the Columbus. This panel of judges includes representatives from companies Mammotome, Huntington National Bank, Urban Art Space, The Ohio State University, and the Department of Design at Ohio State. They ended picking our first concept to follow through with for production of the Winter Market.

Branding Assets

Colors

Dark Blue Denim

Khaki Cotton Canvas

Logo Development and Design

Process

Step 1- Laser Cut and Label

We laser cut all of our fabric and labeled it to ensure we kept track of each component and the designated apron it belonged to.

Step 2- Main Body

We doubled folded the edge of the fabric twice, ironed and pinned it, and sewed the border of the individual apron halfs. Next, we pinned and sewed the denim side and the cotton canvas side of the apron together.

Step 3- Oven Mitt Assembly

Matthew laser cut the components of the oven mitt and I measured and cut the heat batting. Next, I lined the fabric with the heat batting and sewed the pieces together. Then, I sew the pocket on and attached one part of the magnetic clasps. To finish the oven mitt, I sewed it closes

1/1

Step 4- Square Pocket

Matthew ironed the edges of the fabric and sewed a fourth of the pockets together; I sewed the rest of pockets together.

Step 5- Rectangular Pocket & Leather Logo

Matthew ironed all of the edges of this pocket, and I hand sewed the leather logo onto the rectangular pocket. An upper classman donated a piece of leather to us to use for our logo; we laser cut and engraved it with our logo. Then, I hand sewed it onto the rectangular pocket.

Step 7- Straps

In this step, Matt sewed all of the straps together including the 20 waist straps and the 10 neck straps.

Step 8- Sewing it all together

I sewed all of the components onto eight of the aprons and Matthew sewed the components onto the two leftover aprons.

Step 9- Grommets

Step 10- Packaging

I designed the packaging sleeve that was printed on a glossy sheet of 11 x 17 inch paper.

Thank You Cards

I used a template on Adobe Express for this design, but I altered the colors and the information on the card. I scored and folded each card and slipped it in the pocket of the apron.

Wrapping

We folded up the aprons and then wrapped them in brown paper to ensure sustainable packaging, slipped the sleeve on and wrapped it with twine.

Highlights

181 Hours
Research, Manual Labor, Presentations

$142.10
Material Cost

$550.00
Raised for the IDSA

Winter Market

On December 10, we sold our ThreadUP Apron at The Ohio State University's Design Department 8th Annual Winter Market. We sold each apron for $55.00 and raised a total of $445.00 for our Industrial Design Society of America Chapter (IDSA).

Contributions

Alivia- Logo Design, Packaging Design, Sewing (Apron Base, Oven Mitts, Square and Rectangular Pocket), and hand sewing our logo on

Matt- Laser Cutting/Engraving, Sewing (waist straps, neck straps, towel loop), Ironing

Both- Ethnographic Research, Branding, Figuring out Dimensions