A 501c3 non-profit organization devoted to expansive education in the culture & craft of clothing.

CIFA programs focus on teaching hands-on design and construction skills as well as the cultural and historical uses of textiles in society.  In our afterschool programs and workshops, students learn how to use readily-available materials, become everyday engineers, and discover their own individual, creative processes to produce objects that enhance their lives.  Our in-service activities focus on particular educational curricular needs to bring our interdisciplinary knowledge about fibers, fabrics, society, history, and technology to students of all ages. We run dynamic hands-on, intellectually-rigorous programs that help children understand social contexts through clothing and textile techniques and practices.