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Win 6,500 EUR for innovative design with Smart Textiles

08 Mar '11

3 min read

International Design Competition for Students

A new ambitious project puts Denmark on the world map of smart textiles. The opening of the project is marked by an international prize competition for students with a prize of 6,500 EUR. Students from all over Europe are invited to take part, and the winner is found on 12 May 2011, when TEKO, VIA University College in Herning is host for a summit for international experts and companies working with smart textiles.

Many people are skeptical towards "smart textiles". Smart textiles is still a niche area, but within a few years, everybody talks about smart textiles. This is what TEKO, VIA University College predicts, and TEKO works hard to make sure that Denmark will play a leading role when the textile industry begins to invest in smart textiles on a large scale.

"Future Textiles focuses on smart textiles in many ways. The international prize competition will help bring students' ideas in circulation, and if Denmark and Europe is to play a leading role in smart textiles, then students must also be part of it as they are the first links in the food chain," says Ms. Hanne Troels Jensen, Director, Knowledge Center for Smart Textiles.

Government Support

The international prize competition is part of the most ambitious project within smart textiles so far. The project, known as Future Textiles, invites 35-40 leading international experts in smart textiles to come to TEKO in Herning to exchange ideas and knowledge. The Dutch exhibition Pretty Smart Textiles focuses on the connection between fashion, textiles and technology. Workshops, seminars and master classes for students, professionals and educators, aim to showcase the best of smart textiles.

Future Textiles has a budget of more than 300,000 EUR and is supported by the Market Denmark Foundation. The chairman of the foundation Mr. Jørgen Tandrup says:

"I am proud that the Market Denmark Foundation is supporting that Denmark can host the most ambitious project to date in the area of smart textiles. An event of this caliber will put Denmark on the map and give Danish Industry an advantage when it comes to smart textiles. In the long run that can create economic growth and more jobs"

Prize Competition and Future Textiles

The international prize competition opens 1 February and closes again 4 April 2011. Five finalists will be shortlisted and on 12 May a winner is found at TEKO in Herning, Denmark at the international expert summit of Future Textiles. At the summit the 5 finalists will also have a chance to present their projects to industry leaders and experts.

In May TEKO also hosts the Dutch exhibition, Pretty Smart Textiles, which showcases the possibilities that are created when technology and textiles are combined. The prize competition and the exhibition are part of the three week event, Future Textiles, which brings the world of smart textiles to Herning, Denmark.

Read more about Future Textiles and the prize competition on: www.futuretextiles.dk

TEKO is Scandinavia's largest Design and Business College within fashion and lifestyle products. More than 1100 students attend study programmes in fashion, textiles and furniture. Since 2009 TEKO has been part of VIA University College, with more than 17,000 students in Denmark.

Future Textiles