Student Design Challenge open for 2016 applications

The Advanced Textile Products Student Design Challenge is an annual contest established to encourage college and university students of design, textiles engineering, and allied curricula to solve safety and protection problems using technical textiles and narrow fabrics in functional designs.

Students will create an original design and prototype for a safety product that will protect people or property from hazardous conditions. These conditions may include extreme hot or cold temperature; impact; chemical or biological exposure; poor visibility; or fall protection.

Team entries are permitted. Mentoring by IFAI member companies may be available upon request.

Requirements include:

1. The project must use textiles as a major component
2. The project/product must be designed for aerospace, medical, military, safety/protective or other wearable and nonwearable textile technology applications.
3. Projects with a primary purpose of general wearing comfort or protection from environmental conditions are not eligible.
4. Entrants must be enrolled in post-secondary textiles, apparel, engineering or design programs in colleges or universities.

Cash prizes, coverage in IFAI’s publications, the opportunity to present at IFAI’s 2016 Expo with travel expenses are part of the prize package.

Details about submitting to this year’s contest can be found on IFAI’s website.