About Jessica Thies
— Meet the Designer
My research is focused on reducing our reliance on petrochemicals through the development of seaweed-based materials.
I am a designer and material researcher specializing in biomaterials and regenerative systems for the built environment. With a background in industrial and textile design, my work explores alternatives to petrochemical-based materials. My practice bridges scientific inquiry, sustainable innovation, and trend-forward material development to challenge conventional manufacturing models and enable circular, transparent systems.
Alongside my materials research, I am deeply interested in color design and trend forecasting for the fashion and footwear industry, exploring how color storytelling and emerging material technologies can shape future collections.
I hold an MFA in Industrial Design from Parsons School of Design, a Postgraduate Certificate in Material Futures from Central Saint Martins, and a BS in Textile Design from Jefferson University. I have taught Textile & Soft Materials at Parsons and have presented my work at Munich Creative Business Week and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center. My award-winning projects have been recognized by Dezeen, Première Vision, WGSN, and NYCxDESIGN, among others.
Teaching:
Part-Time Faculty at Parsons School of Design:
Fall 2024, Fall 2025, Studio Lab: Textiles/Soft Materials, B.F.A. Interior Design
Fall 2025, Bio-Based Materials, School of Constructed Environments
Spring 2026, Decolonized & Decarbonized Dinner Party, School of Constructed Enviroments
Press:
WGSN
FRANCQ COLORS Trend Studio, Spring/Summer 2026 Trend Report
Première Vision Trend Report AW 26-27
Awards:
2023 Sustainable Vision/ Ecological Vision Award, MFA Industrial Design, Parsons School of Design
2023 NYC x DESIGN Awards, Student Winner
2022 Global Footwear Awards Student Winner, Footwear Innovation and Biodegradable Footwear
2022 NYC x DESIGN Awards, Student Winner
2022 Biodesign Challenge Science Sandbox Prize for Public Engagement, Winner
2022 Blue City Design Challenge, Finalist
Education:
M.F.A. Industrial Design, Parsons School of Design
Postgraduate Certificate in Material Futures, Central Saint Martins
Textile Arts Center, Low Immersion Residency
B.S. Textile Design, Jefferson University
Exhibitions:
Exhibitor, SYNCRETISM, New York Textile Month, New York, September 2025
Exhibitor, Surface Spotlight, Surface Design Show, London, 2026
Lead Curator, Regeneration of Flax, Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries, 2024
Lead Curator, Exhibitor, Unmaking, Making, Remaking, NYCxDesign, 2023
Publications:
Material, Color & Care, A BioDesign Methodology: Cambridge University Presss Gorman, M., Chaparro, Y., Gopinath, P., (2022) A Decolonized & Decarbonized Dinner Party. Parsons / The New School. NYC.
Gorman, Michele, Chaparro, Yvette, and Gopinath, Preeti. A Decolonized & Decarbonized Dinner Party, Vol. 2. New York: Parsons / The New School, 2024.
Presentations:
2024 Munich Creative Business Week, Future Alliances: Co-creating Living Materials and Objects with Parsons Healthy Materials Lab
2023 CUNY Advanced Science Research Center. Bio-Inspired Green (BIG) Science and Technology, Thesis Presentation
Photography Credits:
Martin Seck, Andrew Longo, Andrew Bray
Contact:
jessicalynnthies@gmail.com