This course will explore fiber (natural and man-made), yarn, and textile structures - woven, knit, non-woven - providing designers that utilize textiles an essential understanding of their primary medium. We will investigate fiber/yarn/textile characteristics, their interdependence, and relation to performance and end-use, through research and studio exploration. Environmental/sustainable aspects and possibilities in textile development and use will be explored. Coursework will include lecture/text/research, practical swatch/fabric analysis, color lab, and design projects investigating and pushing the parameters of textile and color theory. Critiques will gauge the success of medium understanding in relation to design intention.