Academic Research & Innovation

Giving students the support they need to succeed, on and off the university campus.

Technical Education & Vocational Support

In 2012, we helped to establish the Clothworkers’ Centre for Textile Materials Innovation for Healthcare (CCTMIH) at the University of Leeds, with a £1.75 million anchor donation. The Centre works to develop enabling technologies based on advances in textile science and engineering. From bioactive wound dressings to implantable devices aiding the regeneration of bone or skin – the application of textiles in healthcare is a rapidly developing field.

The Company has also been a principal supporter of the Textiles and Colour Science activities at Leeds since it was established. We currently provide bursaries for a number of postgraduate students. In addition, subject to access and utilisation criteria, we make capital grants to assist with the purchase of cutting-edge specialist equipment.

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In 2021, we made the largest commitment in our Company history, investing £8.9 million (over 10 years) to found the new Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC). In 2022, we worked with other textile-focused livery companies to help launch a new course at LITAC, providing support for academic and needs-based bursaries to the new Textiles Innovation and Sustainability BSc programme.

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Recent grants have also been awarded to De Montfort University for scholarships, and to Central Saint Martins (since 2022) in continued support for their MA bursary in Material Futures.

Recent Grants

A grant of £640,000 was awarded to foster early-stage innovation in textiles and colour science; leading projects to market and resulting in a return on our investment. Dr. Craft Natural Purple Berry Brightening Serum by Keracol Limited is one example.

Employees testing virtual reality equipment

In 2021, we invested £8.9 million into founding the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC). This is The Company's largest ever commitment in its nearly 500-year-old history. In 2022, The Company also co-funded a number of academic and needs-based bursaries for a new Textiles Innovation and Sustainability BSc programme.

£183,000 grant was made in 2020 to sponsor a post-graduate research assistant CCTMIH, working on the HyFaCol project to develop an innovative wound dressing that can both manage infection and promote accelerated healing.

We continue to fund Central Saint Martins with grants to support bursaries in the Material Futures MA programme, described as a two-year postgraduate degree exploring science, technology and design. In the image above, students attended a traditional coracle making workshop in Brecon Beacons.

Previously, we awarded £55,000 to Central Saint Martins to match-fund a STOLL digital knitting machine, and later another grant for three new digital TC2 jacquard looms – more than 1,000 students have learned new skills on this state-of-the-art equipment.