UK Research and Innovation launches circular fashion competition

£4mln is to be invested in an Innovate UK circular fashion competition that is now open.

It is scheduled to close on 11 January 2023.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will work with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to invest in this innovation project.

This will be to develop and demonstrate closed-loop recycling for the fashion and textile sector at scale. This is the initial activity of a £15 million UKRI Circular Fashion Programme.

The project must focus on mixed fabrics. The organisers also encourage applications focussing on one or more of the following materials:

• wool
• cotton
• polyester

The proposal must be for a multi-disciplinary, collaborative, demonstration project and support a demonstration of innovation at an industrially relevant scale.

The project’s total grant funding request must be between £3mln and £4mln and start by 1 June 2023 and last between 18 and 22 months. For full details on the application criteria and process go to: Competition overview - UKRI Circular fashion programme: recycling and sorting demonstrator - Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)

Applicants will be notified by 10 March 2023 about the outcome.