As part of the Children’s University programme at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences during the 2017/2018 winter semester, the third lecture will focus on the topic ‘From the field to the wardrobe – fibre crops and their uses’. Dr Katja Kehlenbeck (deputy professor for sustainable agricultural production systems, specialising in horticulture) will introduce the young prospective students to the diversity of fibre crops and explain their journey from the field to the wardrobe.
As part of the talk, the children learn, amongst other things, what jeans are made of, why a scarf made from stinging nettles does not sting the skin, and what a cosy fleece jacket has to do with ocean pollution. They will examine their own clothes to identify the fibres used. The environmental impacts of plant-based and synthetic fibres will be compared. In addition, under supervision, the children can make strings from stinging nettles and find out for themselves whether these sting the skin.
The event will take place on 31 January 2018 from 5.15 pm to 6.00 pm at the Kleve campus of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Straße 1, in the lecture theatre centre (Audimax). Admission is free and no registration is required.
