La Cotton Textile Foundation has opened the call for Innovation Awards 2026Awards that reach their [number] this year twelfth edition and whose objective is to recognize research, technological development, and innovation in the textile sector. The Foundation is linked to AITPA, founding employers' association of Texfor.
The initiative It distinguishes both the trajectory of companies committed to innovation and the work of young students and researchers who develop projects applied to the textile and clothing industry.In this edition, the awards feature a total economic endowment of 6.000 euros, distributed between the first and second prize in the category aimed at young talent.
The awards are structured in two categories. On the one hand, the Award for Innovative Textile CompanyThis award aims to recognize the industrial trajectory of a company in the sector that has distinguished itself through its contribution to innovation and continuous improvement. In this case, companies do not submit their own applications; instead, the jury will grant the award on its own initiative.
Furthermore, the Innovation Award for Young Talent It is aimed at students and researchers under 35 years of age who present innovative projects applied to the textile and clothing industry. This category has a budget of 4.000 euros for the first prize y 2.000 euros for the second prize.
According to what they establish the basesThe projects must be innovative, have the capacity for technology transfer, and be applicable to the industrial fabric or activities linked to companies in the textile and clothing sector.
The deadline for submitting applications will remain open until September 15 through the website of the Cotton Textile Foundation, where the rules of the competition and the necessary documentation to participate can be consulted.
Once the application has been validated, participants will have until October 15 to present the project report, accompanied by the corresponding executive summary.
El The jury for the Innovation Awards will be made up of by representatives of companies in the textile sector, media, technology centers and the academic field, as well as the president of the Cotton Textile Foundation, Manuel Díaz.
As usual, the awards ceremony will take place within the framework of the Annual Meeting of the Cotton Association, AITPA.
In the previous edition, the Innovation Awards recognized proposals related to applied research, sustainability, and the development of new materials. The first prize was awarded to Joana Meyer DuróThe first prize went to [name missing], for a project on the development of 3D printed fabrics for clothing, while the second prize went to [name missing]. Paola Ballerini Monleón, for research aimed at improving the mechanical recycling of pre-consumer textile materials.
El Innovative Company Award was awarded to Garrotxa Textile Regeneration Collective, in recognition of its commitment to innovation, the circular economy and the transformation of a traditional activity into a competitive and high value-added model.
Those interested can consult all the information about the call for applications and the rules for participation on the website of the Cotton Textile Foundation.