COTTON USA partners with London university to support future textile talent

News have emerged that COTTON USA – the global promoter of U.S. cotton fiber and manufactured cotton products - are in partnership with Loughborough University London to launch its first Innovation Competition especially designed to support and showcase the future talent of the interior, fashion and textiles industries.

The initiative is especially designed to encourage undergraduate students to work innovatively us U.S. cotton, and help to support them gain valuable experience before they enter the industry and world-of-work.

Second year students specialising in textiles and fabrics will take part in the competition and will receive individual support to develop new and innovative ways of working with U.S. cotton.

COTTON USA will promote participating students’ work to a global network of brands and retailers, giving the undergraduates a platform to demonstrate their technical knowledge, and elevate the profile of their creative designs.

At London Fashion Week, COTTON USA sponsored design duo palmer//harding (Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding), known as "The Shirt Boys" due to their knack for reinventing the classic cotton shirt. 

Just days earlier in March, Loughborough University announced the nomination of Lord Sebastian Coe as the University’s new and 6th Chancellor.

The Chancellor is the Chief Ambassador of the University, presides over ceremonial functions and confers degrees on graduates of the University.     Lord Coe is replacing Sir Nigel Rudd, and officially installed at the University’s summer graduation ceremonies in July.

Lord Coe, as seen in picture at right, is notably one of the world’s most high profile sportsmen and made Olympic history by winning gold and silver in the 1980 and 1984 Games.

A Loughborough alumni himself, Lord Coe is perhaps best known as Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the highly successful 2012 Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, having previously been Chairman of the London 2012 bid company, and was Chairman of the British Olympic Committee in the lead up to and during the unprecedented medal success of Team GB at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

Lord Coe is currently the Loughborough University’s Pro-Chancellor and President of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).  He graduated from Loughborough with a BSc in Economics and Social History and set 12 world records during his athletics career.