2024 Design Competition Overview

Cotton and the Future of Textile Design Practice is a student design competition and exhibition centered around how the tacit material knowledge of craft can influence contemporary textile industry design practice. Funding for this Wilson College of Textiles’ student competition was awarded through a competitive grant presented by Cotton Incorporated.

In today’s market, consumers cherish the touch and feel of cotton. Many textile designers and artisans develop a deep understanding of cotton fiber and materials through intensive hands-on experiences with the fiber engaging in extensive hand manipulation used in artisan craft techniques. Whether it comes through learning to weave, knit, crochet, sew, embroider or dye, an understanding of the material is gained through haptic manipulation of the material itself.

In this project we will strive to connect craft based practices to an industrial setting. Students will experiment with different fiber to better understand how material characteristics can be leveraged and manipulated for contemporary design applications.

The competition is open to NCSU Wilson College of Textiles students enrolled in FTM 271, FTD 201, FTD 373, FTD 375, FTD 475, FTD 374, FTD 376, FTD 476, FTD 479, TT 570, FPS 792, in the Spring or Fall of the 2024 academic year, and to others as approved by competition organizers.

Submission Due Date: Fall 2024

Student Scholarship Awards

• 1st Place: $1000
• 2nd Place: $800
• 3rd Place: $600

Two Honorable mentions: $300 each