WEAR Sustain is organising two Europe-wide competitions in April 2017 and October 2017, to support creative and technology collaboration for the development of Next Generation wearables, smart or electronic textiles that are critical, ethical and aesthetic.

The program is seeking applications from creatives, such as artists or designers, to collaborate with technologists or engineers. We aim to support strong, well developed project ideas and take prototypes to the next level.

A total fund of €2.4m will be made available over two years, to fund 48 teams. Projects will receive support and input from mentors, experts and hubs to help realise ideas, and promote developed prototypes.

The challenges involved in developing prototypes that are ethical and sustainable will contribute to a Sustainability Strategy, to guide future ethical and sustainable or circular design and development methodologies.

OPEN CALL

WEAR Sustain is looking for 24 teams to work together to design and develop compelling aesthetic, ethical, environmental, and sustainable solutions for wearable technology and smart or e-textiles development, across all possible application domains. Up to €50,000 of funding is available to each team, which offers the means to jumpstart promising co-created concepts.

Winners will be promoted as pioneers of ethical and sustainable wearables, and e-textiles.

• Call 1 Opens: 1st April 2017
• Submission Deadline: 31st May 2017

Selected finalists will be invited to pitch to a panel of experts in the week of 21st – 23rd June 2017. Winners will be notified by 30th June 2017. Teams must be prepared to work together on their prototypes from the 1st July 2017, over a period of 6-8 months.

Support and Finding a Partner:

Please attend one of the WEAR Sustain events for support and to meet a potential collaborator. WEAR Sustain webinars take place regularly during the Open Calls to help with the application process. Register on the WEAR Online Network where you may source a collaborative partner. You may find a partner independently if you prefer.

Open Call Themes:

WEAR seeks proposals that address current and pressing issues facing European and global society. Seven themed areas have been set out, as guidance for developing a proposal for WEAR Sustain funding. Applicants must engage with one or more of these challenges in a critical and creative way and propose a solutions to these issues. Irrespective of your chosen theme, data ethics and sustainability should also be addressed in the proposal.

• Environment
• Use and Reuse vs Waste
• Body, Physiology, Somatics
• Energy
• Emotional and Mental Health
• Social, Cultural, Economic
• Open Category

A full description of themes can be downloaded here

Apply now