Hybrid autos, solar panels and other things "green" aside, I'm glad I wrote about eco-friendly fashions back in April. (To see the story that appeared in the Scene section, click here.)

It's becoming a super-hot topic.

Right after the story ran, I got word from UC Davis that an exhibit titled "Fashion Conscious" was set to open Thursday at the school's design museum. Curators Susan Taber Avila and Julia Schwartz have put together an amazing look at sustainable fashions, including garments and textiles.

To coincide with the exhibit's opening, there will be a free symposium from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday titled "Designing With Conscious". It will be held in the UC Davis Technocultural Studies Building (just south of the Art Building).

Target audience? Design students and professionals, retailers and consumers who want to know more about sustainable fashion beyond hemp. The overall goal: to find alternatives to commercial cotton and all the pesticides associated with producing it.

The symposium will feature at least seven speakers, including a designer who works with recycled cashmere and an environmental analyst at Patagonia in Ventura.

To register for this free event or for more info on the exhibit, which runs through July 13, click here.