Revised 10/01/2025
Note: As of October 2025, we are temporarily suspending the acceptance of pattern donations from private individuals due to a substantial and overwhelming processing backlog. Institutional donations from universities, museums, historical societies, and other similar organizations are being conditionally accepted at this time.
If you are here because you'd like to make a donation to CoPA, I both welcome and thank you! The Commercial Pattern Archive relies heavily on the contributions of donors like you to build and maintain our ever-growing collection. We sincerely appreciate your contributions to the archive in support of our education and preservation mission. Sewing patterns are some of the most fragile, easily disposable tools of the fashion industry. Each one represents a stylistic snapshot in fashion history that was originally meant to be purchased, used, and discarded. Yet, in spite of their ephemeral nature, sewing patterns of decades past contain a treasure trove of information. Your donations helps ensure their preservation so that students, historians, costumers, and other researchers may benefit from the history they hold and the stories they tell.
The sections below contain basic information on the proccess of making a donation to CoPA. For more information and a full description of what types of donations we do and do not accept, please visit our Collection Development & Donations Guidelines page.
If you would like to make a donation of sewing patterns to the Commercial Pattern Archive, there are a few easy steps that we ask you to follow! These steps can help save on time, postage, and space.
Step 1: Check Your Patterns For Duplicates
Due to serious limitations on space in our archive, CoPA does not accept duplicates of patterns already found in our physical holdings. To check to see if your patterns are duplicates, please visit our online database and use the Search By Pattern Number feature. In the CoPA database, any patterns we physically hold at URI will have BWS, PWS, OSU, FIT, JSE, or URI in their Archive Number (ex: 1972.URI.255). If we already have a pattern from a given maker with the same year and pattern number, we are unable to accept another copy, regardless of size or condition.
Step 2: Check the Condition and Completeness of Your Patterns
Once you've removed any duplicates from your donation selection, please check the condition of the ones that remain. We do accept patterns that have been gently used or are incomplete, however, the more complete a pattern is, the more useful it is for researchers and the easier it is to enter into our online database. It's best to check if your pattern still has its original envelope, pattern pieces, and instructions.
Patterns should be in "Fair" condition or better. Patterns that are very dirty, seriously water damaged, or missing all their original pieces can't be accepted. Also, we do not accept patterns that have been damaged by mold, mildew, or pests. This type of damage poses a risk not only to the health of our staff, but also to other materials in our on-site collections.
Step 3: Contact Us
All prospective pattern donors must contact us to have their donation approved before sending it in the mail or dropping it off at the Carothers Library. Please provide us with a basic description of the patterns, including decade and patternmakers.
We can be reached by email at copa-group@uri.edu, or by telephone at 401-874-2713. If your donation is approved, our staff will either arrange an in-person dropoff meeting with you at the URI Carothers Library, or provide you with a mailing address should you choose to ship it.
Please be aware that at times, we may be unable to accept new donations due to staffing limitations, processing backlogs, etc. In the case we're temporarily unable to accept your pattern donation, please ask to be added to our waitlist.
The Commercial Pattern Archive gratefully and humbly accepts financial contributions to assist with the continued care and maintenance of the collection through the Joy Spanabel Emery Endowment Fund, Rhode Island Foundation.
Contributions can be made via credit card on the Rhode Island Foundation website. The Rhode Island Foundation is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, and contributions to the Joy Spanabel Emery Endowment fund are tax deductible.
Checks can be mailed to:
Rhode Island Foundation
One Union Station
Providence, RI 02903
Please include "Joy Spanabel Emery Endowment Fund" on check.