Leeds Institute to help fashion industry address challenges

The University of Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour will tackle global challenges – such as those created by fast fashion, and the need for advanced materials, manufacturing processes and sustainable products – by partnering with industry to apply the world-class research expertise found across a wide range of disciplines at the University.

Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour brings together existing areas of excellence, including Future Fashion Factory (FFF), which since 2018 has helped businesses to develop sustainable processes and digital tools to guide design and manufacturing processes from start to finish, analysing demand, increasing agility and reducing waste. Future Fashion Factory is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Alongside the contributions of the University, LITAC has received significant investment from The Clothworkers' Company – a City of London livery company focused on supporting the British textiles industry through education, research, skills development and training.

Professor Andrew Chitty, Challenge Director, Creative Industries Clusters Programme, UKRI, said: “The launch of the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour is testament to the work that has been achieved by Future Fashion Factory as part of the UKRI-funded Creative Industries Clusters Programme.

“Under Steve Russell’s leadership, FFF have demonstrated the value of industry and university collaboration in applied creative research and the opportunities for the future.  

“Committing to a long-term partnership in the form of a new institute shows that R&D in the creative industries can now be regarded by research-intensive universities as opportunities for collaboration between research and industry partners as valuable as those in STEM areas.

“That’s an enormous step forward for the sector, and a huge tribute to the pioneering efforts of the Future Fashion Factory team.”

https://www.leeds.ac.uk/leeds-institute-textiles-colour

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