UKFT is delighted to announce it will manage a £670,000 bursary scheme to support 15 students per year over the next three years studying the new Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course at the University of Leeds.

Generously funded by the Textile Livery Group and other textile-related charities, this initiative aims to support the education of students with a keen interest in textiles to meet the environmental and social challenges of tomorrow. The bursary will cover 50% of student fees and provide a contribution towards living expenses. It is open to UK students enrolled in the Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course at the University of Leeds starting in September 2024.

David Collinge, representing the Worshipful Company of Weavers’ Textile Committee, played a pivotal role in shaping the curriculum for the new course. He said: “This three-year programme, which also offers an optional industry placement year, will significantly lower the barriers to entry into the UK textile industry. Our aspiration is for this course to become the ‘go to’ destination for textile employers seeking to recruit skilled and experienced textile technology graduates with industry-relevant expertise.”

The bursary scheme was officially launched at the Sustainability in UK Textiles conference on 28 September by the UKFT President Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

The Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course will give students a deep understanding of sustainable textile materials, processes and products. The curriculum has been developed to address real industry needs, with businesses providing valuable placement and employment opportunities. Compulsory modules will provide a broad understanding of textiles, while optional modules will allow students to specialise depending on their career ambitions.

Dr Muhammad Tausif, Deputy Head of School and Associate Professor in Sustainable Textile Manufacturing, said: “The new Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course builds on the University of Leeds’ 150-year history of textile education. In addition to a cutting-edge syllabus supported by our extensive laboratories, we will collaborate closely with industry partners to offer valuable industrial placements and scholarships via academic achievement and means-tested routes.”

Adam Mansell, CEO of UKFT, said: “The course has been tailored to address the skills gap in the UK textile industry, providing a new generation of textile technologists capable of innovating sustainable textile solutions to global environmental and social challenges. With many industry technologists aged 55 and over, there is a real need for younger trained professionals to fill their shoes as they retire. The design and launch of the course has received widespread support from the UK textile industry, co-ordinated by UKFT and the Textile Livery Group.”

He continued: “Following a survey of our network last year, we’re delighted that this course is coming on stream. Leading retailers, designer brands and textile manufacturers have emphasised the urgent need for this type of training in the UK. The course will equip future textile specialist with a comprehensive set of skills and experience to thrive in the dynamic UK textile industry.”

The course content will bring together responsible fashion, sustainable textile manufacturing, knitted textiles and processes, nonwoven products and processes, textile colouration and finishing, and technical textiles. Students will undertake a major research project in their final year, utilising the high-quality research facilities at the University of Leeds.

If you are UK textile company interested in offering a placement to a student on the course, please contact info@ukft.org.

SUSTAINABILITY IN UK TEXTILES 2023