R&D Funding Calls

Future Fashion Factory will fund and support a variety of industry-led collaborative R&D projects, bringing together industry and academic partners to respond to existing business needs.

This strand of the Programme aims to support innovative, industry-focused projects in the high value fashion and textile industries that fit with any of our five core research themes:

  • Late-stage customisation
  • Sustainability and circular economies
  • Aesthetic communication
  • Data-driven design
  • Education and skills

Grant funding is available to award to eligible businesses / collaborations of businesses for projects ranging from <£10,000 up to £100,000:

  • Industrial Challenge Projects (ICP): awards of up to £100,000 to enable individual or groups of cluster partners to rapidly implement new design practices in a commercial setting
  • Proof of Concept (PoC): awards of up to £50,000 to turn proven science into tested and validated technology with a clear application in the fashion and textile industry
  • Proof of Market (PoM): awards up to £10,000 usually scoping projects to identify existing gaps in the market.

A good project should have:

  • Collaboration – we welcome multi-partner projects
  • Clear industry benefits and potential for commercial impact
  • At least one industry partner based in the Yorkshire and the Humber region
  • In-kind or cash match contributions from an industrial partner
  • Involvement from at least one academic at one of the Future Fashion Factory universities (University of Leeds, University of Huddersfield, or Royal College of Art)

Each individual funding call will be advertised on this website in our Events listings. If you are interested in applying, please contact the Programme team to discuss your ideas.

You will need to become a Future Fashion Factory member before your Expression of Interest can be considered.