27 November 2023

New Landscapes for Fashion, Textiles and Technology: India and UK Open Call  

New Landscapes for Fashion, Textiles and Technology: India and UK Open Call  

The New Landscapes Catalyst Grant Scheme is an international program led by UAL’s Fashion, Textiles and Technology Institute (FTTI), in partnership with the British Council. Since 2021, the programme has nurtured new Research and Development (R&D) projects between 10 different countries, to support new ideas shaping the future of sustainable fashion, textiles and technology.   

This year the British Council and UAL’s FTTI launch New Landscapes India R&D grant scheme, a three year programme supporting collaboration in sustainable fashion, textiles and technology between partners in India and the UK. The initiative aims to nurture international cooperation, share practice, and support the cultural, social, and environmental values of fashion and textiles sector in both countries. The New Landscapes India R&D programme will award seven grants of up to £7,000, for collaborative projects led by designers, entrepreneurs and SMEs in the UK and India. There will be an opportunity in year two for grantees to bid for further funding after successful completion of the project in year one.  

Through the programme, grantees will be supported by UAL FTTI through mentoring from expert academics and FTTI staff and offered unique showcasing opportunities.   

This open call focuses on India and UK partnerships co-designing and co-developing projects that: 

  • Grow global networks to enable development of practice, experimentation and testing of sustainable design, materials and production solutions that inspire positive environmental change in India and UK.  
  • Support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to exchange methods of designing and producing in a more sustainable and socially engaged way. 
  • Support young designers & entrepreneurs in India and UK to become advocates for sustainable, ethical and socially engaged fashion, textiles and technologies. 
  • Focus on R&D in one of five key areas: Sustainability, Materials, Manufacturing and Commerce, Retail Engagement and Digital. 

Download the full information booklet here.

KEY ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 

  • The call is open to all designers, entrepreneurs and SMEs in the UK and India 
  • Applications must be a partnership between at least 1 UK applicant and at least 1 India applicant. 
  • At least one of the applicants should qualify as an SME 
  • Both the UK and India applicant must have been in business for at least 3 years. 
  • Applicants must provide evidence of strong collaboration, knowledge exchange and mutual benefit and impact for partners in their application. 
  • Applicants must demonstrate the ability to deliver the project activity between April 2024 to September 2024. Successful applicants will also host a public event presenting their findings in late 2024. 
  • The UK applicant will receive the funds to disseminate between the project partners. We expect partners to work collaboratively in the development and delivery of the project. A balanced and transparent approach to workload and budgets must me clearly demonstrated within the application. 

The deadline for proposal submissions is 15th January 2024 at 23:59. Interviews will be held between 12th February 2024 – 23rd February 2024. 

Apply for the New Landscapes India R&D Scheme here.


There will an Open Call information webinar on 30th November. Please register your interest for the session here. 

Download the application questions

Read our Diversity Monitoring Form 

Read about the past projects in the New Landscapes programme here.