External Contests

FIT shares contests and projects that are open to the general public or to the general collegiate population only as a convenience and for informational purposes. FIT does not sponsor, organize, or endorse these contests or projects in any way, and FIT is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, content, or terms of any such contest or project. FIT encourages interested persons to carefully review the terms and conditions of any contest or project before participating and to contact the contest or project sponsor for questions or concerns.   

2025 BoutiqueSetup Dropshipping Contest

Details:  BoutiqueSetup team believes there are a lot of creative students with some extra time. They are looking for talented fashion enthusiasts to show their creativity. 

Submission Deadline: December 25 , 2025

Winners Selected: January 2026

Competition Guidelines: To enter the contest, you will need to write a post on the topic - How Fashion eCommerce is affected with AI and basically describe how clothing businesses could improve. Anyone with a keen interest in the fashion niche can apply. One student can only submit a single post. There is no word limit, but according to copywriting experts, 1700 words post get more eyes.  The BoutiqueSetup team will select a winner based on different factors- Usefulness of submissions – each piece is carefully analyzed and checked how useful the submissions are; Originality and grammar – plagiarism is something that is not acceptted. The team likes seeing fresh, original ideas with no grammatical glitches, rather than a re-hash of existing content available online; unique writing style – you need to ensure that the writing style of your content stands out from the rest of the users, a good readability score is a must; Addressed topic – the last factor, how well the idea has been described.

You can enter the BoutiqueSetup Contest by sending an email to [email protected]

About BoutiqueSetup: BoutiqueSetup is a free resource for learning about dropshipping, fashion boutiques, and everything related. BoutiqueSetup is good for those who want to start an online business in a fashion niche. Boutiquesetup covers everything from fabric printing and supplier research to store design and business marketing.

Reimagine Wool Digital Poster Contest

Details:  The American Sheep Industry Association and Wool Council are working to find uses for underutilized American wool. The primary objectives of this campaign are to: Find viable, marketable use for underutilized American wool (>25 micron) and create awareness of American Wool Properties and Uses. Generate ideas for new wool products, processes or tweaks on current products and processes. Promote American Wool. Develop new uses for unwashed wool. Grow value for American sheep producers. Reduce waste.

Submission Deadline: January 1 , 2026

Winners Selected: January 30, 2026

Competition Guidelines: Submissions should clearly explain: Your concept for a new wool use, twist on a current product, or a new method of processing. Why it is innovative or beneficial; Potential market impact; Basic feasibility path (how it could be made, used, or adopted); Optional: visuals, diagrams, mockups, or material lists; Physical prototypes may be provided if selected as a finalist. Judging Criteria: Product content must be at least 50% wool by weight; Innovation and creativity (original or twist on existing idea) 20%; Feasibility (probability of commercial market application, practical) 50%; Clarity (clearly explained and presented) 10%; Design (aesthetically and functionally appealing) 10%; Use of unwashed wool (embrace less expensive process) 10%. Finalists will be selected by a committee of the ASI Wool Council. These entries will be judged at the American Sheep Industry Association Convention by a People’s Choice Award in Reno, NV January 28-30, 2026. Prize money is considered taxable income and submission of a W-9 form is required for payment. 

Enter the Reimagine Wool Digital Poster Contest

About ASI: The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is the national organization representing the interests of sheep producers located throughout the U.S. From East to West, pasture-based flocks to range operations, ASI works to represent the interests of all producers. ASI is a federation of state sheep associations as well as individual members. In 1865, the National Wool Growers Association was formed, making it the first national livestock association in the U.S. It was this association that provided the roots for today’s American Sheep Industry Association.

2026 Design-A-Bag Competition

 

 

 

 

Details: Design a functional and innovative bag that embodies simplicity with clean lines, ergonomically designed to fit your body and transition between work, travel, leisure and pleasure. Leather will be used as a matter and can be combined with other materials and accessories.

Submission Deadline: January 6 , 2026

Winners Selected: March 2026

Competition Guidelines: 2026 Theme: New Uses / Functionalities. A functional and innovative bag that embodies simplicity with clean lines, ergonomically designed to fit your body and transition between work, travel, leisure and pleasure. Leather will be used as a matter and can be combined with other materials and accessories. Design Guidelines: 1.  Leather, what else? Genuine leather must be used and can be complemented by other natural or non-leather materials; 2.  Review our judging criteria before sketching to maximize your submissions’ potential: Creativity (35%):  Innovative, unique, and authentic, Theme Alignment (30%):  Align with the theme, focusing on ergonomics, simplicity, and functionality, Trends Relevance (20%): Up to date with the current seasonal trends and contemporary fashion, Marketability (15%): Demonstrate commercial viability; 3. Look for inspirations and fashion indicators from archives to explore iconic bag designs for the future. Discover new materials and structures for your bag design. Check out the APLF Colour, Leather & Material Trends Fall-Winter 2026/27 for inspiration; 4. Participants are welcome to submit multiple designs. However, the same design is not allowed to be submitted more than once. 

Enter the 2026 Design-A-Bag Competition

About Design-A-Bag Competition: Design-A-Bag Competition is part of an initiative by Fashion Access and APLF. The annual event brings together a global design community to the Fashion Access trade fair. Designers can showcase their creations to the world and exchange design concepts among talents from various cultures and backgrounds.

BIAAF X BILBAO International Art and Fashion Design Competition

Details:  The close bonds between fashion, art and culture is the common thread behind BIAAF’s competition. BIAAF’s flagship project, a biannual international fashion design competition, aims at giving hundreds of emerging fashion designers the opportunity to express their unique, personal imaginary worldwide. Curiosity for form and shape, fascination for color or an interest in certain cultural references, from architects and sculptors to contemporary artists inspire these young creatives’ collections.

Submission Deadline: March 13 , 2026

Winners Selected: November 2025

Competition Guidelines: Participation is open to emerging designers of any nationality aged between 18 and 35. The theme is open, although for added merit the work presented should bear some relationship to the world of art from the historic or creative point of view, manifested either, in the inspiration behind the collection itself or in specific references: Textiles, prints, volumes, details etc. The Jury will pay special attention to the creativity, innovation and experimentation capacity, sustainability of processes and materials used as well as the finishing an overall quality of the works presented. All collections must be original and not previously winner of any other competition. 

Projects should be sent to: Bilbao International Art & Fashion Av. Sabino Arana 50, p.1, dpto14, 48012 Bilbao (Bizkaia) SPAIN

About BIAAF: Bilbao International Art & Fashion (BIAAF) is a non-profit organization created by professionals belonging to very different areas. Their aim is to provide young fashion designers with worldwide visibility among the fashion industry, the general public and the media through intercultural enrichment by showing the different approaches of fashion towards art and the promotion of fashion as a true cultural value.

2026 The Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition

 

 

 

 

Details: Are you concerned about fast throwaway fashion and unsustainable materials? According to Greenpeace, synthetics – made using petrochemicals from the oil industry – now make up 60% of our clothing. These clothes not only take hundreds of years to biodegrade but are often cheap and poorly made. The result — nearly one billion items of clothing, each typically worn just five times — are thrown away every year. It’s time to challenge the fast fashion business model and all those who say no to nature by designing beautiful, durable clothes from natural fibres that people will want to wear longer, and that will last longer. 

Submission Deadline: June 30 , 2026

Winners Selected: October  2026

Competition Guidelines: To stimulate thought about our planet’s future and to combat this waste, our judges are challenging you to create an original, innovative, and visually stunning design in one of three categories -apparel, accessories and footwear – made from real cattle leather. They also want to see how entrants approach the creation of garments that will last and be loved for a lifetime. You are asked to use leather as the inspiration for a single item , either clothing, shoes, or accessories . Entries must be at least 50% cattle hide leather and any other materials used must be natural or organic materials where possible. We do not accept the use of fur or exotic skins. Plastics must only be used where no natural alternatives are available. We would like your piece to capture one or more of the facets of leather, from beauty and versatility to strength and durability. Entries should include all these elements - 1. A brief summary of your project provided in English. 2. Storyboards and design inspiration. 3. Sketches, flats, technical specifications, and final design (the item does not need to be physically made at this stage). 4. A short two-minute video to introduce you and your design. This is optional but encouraged, as it would make a great addition to your entry. Please give consideration to ease of recycling, reuse and disposal at the end of the product’s life, and also think about the practicalities of commercial production, as we are looking for designers who will start new brands, fashion movements or style trends.

Enter the Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition

About ARTS THREAD: ARTS THREAD is the world’s only creative student and graduate website. It bridges the gap between education and the creative industry. For the first time ever, design students, graduates, universities, schools and the creative industry can network worldwide.