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.   

American Hat Makers Design Your Signature Hat Contest

American Hatmakers Design Your Signature Hat Contest Poster Details: Calling all aspiring fashion designers and students in the clothing/garment industry! Showcase your creativity and design skills in an exciting hat design contest. Unleash your imagination and create a unique hat that defines your signature style. Whether it's a trendy fedora, a chic beret, or an edgy snapback, the choice is yours!

Submission Deadline: March 29 , 2024

Winners Selected: April 5, 2024

Competition Guidelines: Participants must be currently studying (in the USA, Canada, UK, or any location worldwide) fashion design or pursuing education related to the clothing/garment industry. Design a hat of your choice using any medium: sketch, digital graphics, or a combination of both. Any hat style can inspire your design, be it a classic cowboy hat, a fashionable straw hat, or a trendy cap for men or women. Contest Criteria - 1. Creativity: How unique and original is your hat design? Does it stand out from the crowd? 2. Aesthetic Appeal: Is your design visually pleasing? Does it demonstrate an understanding of fashion and style? 3. Craftsmanship: How well-executed is your design? Are the details and proportions well-defined? 4. Relevance: Does your hat design align with current fashion trends and target a specific audience?

Enter the American Hat Makers Design Your Signature Hat Contest by emailing: [email protected] with the subject line "Hat Design Contest - [Your Name]."

About American Cap Creators: American Cap Creators, an eminent organization in the cap business, has been handcrafting extraordinary caps for over 50 years. Established by Gary Watrous, the organization's unassuming starting points follow back to the 1970s when Gary began selling carefully assembled calfskin products from the storage compartment of his Chevy station cart. Today, American Cap Creators has become one of the biggest cap makers around the world. 

GEMINI Laboratory Global Design Awards

GEMINI Laboratory Global Design Awards Poster Details: GEMINI Laboratory is a co-creation project aiming to realize a “mirror world”. It is holding its first design awards competition and is looking for new design approaches and concrete ideas for an age when the virtual and physical horizons are melding together. Students are invited to construct an entirely new worldview from materials that may transcend the five senses, spanning into even time and space.

Submission Deadline: April 29 , 2024

Winners Selected: May 20,  2024

Competition Guidelines: Please build and propose possibilities for worldviews and a data library spanning both the virtual and the physical. *Submissions can relate to any field, such as architecture, interior design, gaming, fashion, movies, and so on.  Application Requirements: 1. Title and description of the overall submission; 2. Digital data that makes up the worldview you have created; Deliverables: Image and description, digital data, any other data you like; *As a reference, please check AltField: https://altfield.xyz/; *You are free to use metaskins, spaces, objects, materials, architecture, sounds, video, aromas, etc. 3. Practical application ideas for (2), Deliverables: Illustrative images and descriptions, any other data you like; *Please explain your vision, concept, and specific utilization method in both visual and written forms. *Please fill in the form with all the explanations detailing your submission; *Image format: jpg or png (you can also send in other data such as 3D data, video, etc.); *Data created using generative AI is also acceptable. Please indicate the platform used.

Enter the GEMINI Laboratory Global Design Awards

About GEMINI Laboratory : GEMINI Laboratory  is a Co-Creation Project Sponsored By TOPPAN Corporation That Aims To Realize A "Mirror World" Where Physical And Virtual Interact Without Borders Through Co-Creation With Various Players.

19th North American Student Design Competition

aoa-20th-north-american-student-design-competition Details:  The competition was created to promote the use of alpaca fiber in fashion, textile, and interior design at the fundamental level of educational institutions. The theme for this year is Alpaca: Sustainability, a new theme reflecting the benefits of alpaca. 

Submission Deadline: May 15 , 2024

Winners Selected: July  2024

Competition Guidelines: The entry form must be submitted with the entry board and be signed by the student and include the instructor information. Entry must be designed as a finished collection/group or a single garment constructed of alpaca fabric knit, crocheted, felt, and/or woven. Natural and sustainable fiber blends may be used, but the entire design must be at least 50% alpaca excluding trims. Use of products produced in North America is strongly encouraged. Entry must be a presentation board 20” by 15”, mounted on foam board or a board with the equivalent thickness. It must contain the following elements: Full-color figure sketch, using any media, showing head-to-toe looks. Flats must be included. Additional back or side views, detail close-ups, technical drawings, etc., are encouraged to illustrate the designer’s concept as clearly as possible. Color and fabrication of the design must be shown in yarn samples and/or fabric swatches with captions stating their role in the concept (examples: for jacket, for lining, for color). Original swatches may be constructed by the designer and will add to the overall appeal of the entry. The fiber content of all swatches’ construction must be labeled. Swatches of construction techniques, finishing details, mood photos, dimensional layers, etc. are encouraged and will add to the overall appeal of the entry. These elements must fit within the composition of the board and may not be entered separately. Entry must include a one (1) page essay in a sheet protector attached to the back of the board. The essay will comprise 10% of the total score, and will be judged on the following criteria: the student designer’s understanding of the benefits and properties of alpaca fiber relative to design and theme; the target market/consumer for the design, (information such as age, income, lifestyle, where they would buy the design); the applicability of alpaca fiber to the design and the target market/consumer communicated concisely.

Enter the contest by sending all materials To: AOA Student Design Competition, c/o Ruth Fuqua, 7236 Lebanon Rd, Mount Juliet, TN 37122

About Alpaca Owners Association, Inc.:  AOA was created in 2014 when Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association, Inc. (AOBA) merged into Alpaca Registry, Inc. (ARI). Prior to the merger, AOBA and ARI represented different parts of the North American alpaca industry. ARI focused on the pedigree registry, scientific research, and alpaca education. AOBA focused on the national show system along with the national alpaca show, judge training system, national marketing, and alpaca education.

Cotton Forward: 3d Fashion Design Challenge

Cotton Forward: 3d Fashion Design Challenge Poster Details:  The Cotton Forward: 3D Fashion Challenge introduces students to a unique collection of digital cotton fabrics with endless possibilities. Sponsor wants to see how these possibilities inspire you to redefine fashion. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 designers.  

Submission Deadline: May 17 , 2024

Winners Selected: June  2024

Competition Guidelines: Use 3D software (CLO3D or Browzwear VStitcher) to design 1-3 complete, styled looks for any market or product category that uses, or could use, cotton. Designers must use cotton digital fabrics created by Cotton Incorporated, which are compatible with CLO and Browzwear. These digital fabric files are accessible from the CottonWorks™ website, a free resource for producing outstanding cotton products. Entrants can choose any market or product category and may show any combination of markets and product categories in 1-3 complete, styled looks. For example, it’s okay to do one men’s look and two women’s looks in your collection.  At least 80% of the design Entry must feature digital cotton fabrics from CottonWorks™. There are about 400 to choose from. Entrants may alter the color and/or print of the digital fabrics. Entrants may add prints to digital fabrics that don’t have one.  All Entries will be judged according to the following judging criteria: i. 25% for Authenticity and Originality – the design reflects a unique creative vision; ii. 25% for Design Technique and Quality – the designer has demonstrated technical skill in creating the digital garment(s); iii. 25% for Overall Stylistic Concept – the design is visually appealing and stands out as a work of fashion; and iv. 25% Material Use – the designer has effectively used Fabricast digital fabric selections and has demonstrated an understanding of fabric benefits and performance.

Enter the Cotton Forward: 3d Fashion Design Challenge

About Eden Travel International: 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. 

Kyoto Global Design Awards

Kyoto Global Design Awards Poster Details:  Kyoto Global Design Awards honors extraordinary designers from around the world. Jury members are diverse, independent and are responsible for selecting award-winning design projects, thus proving the quality and value of student's work.

Submission Deadline: August 31 , 2024

Winners Selected: October 2024

Competition Guidelines: Each Kyoto Global Design Awards winner has undergone an extensive review process. Award winners are selected through a series of reviews and evaluations that look at their trend-setting capabilities and influence from various angles. The Kyoto Global Design Awards jury is composed of high-level experts from multiple fields, including design, art and culture and environment. Entries are reviewed from various angles, with a focus on lifestyle and human nature. Judges look for designs that impact an entire field and lead to new opportunities for creative or business collaboration.

Enter Kyoto Global Design Awards

About Kyoto Global Design Awards: (KGDA) is an international design competition established in 2019, with the aim of recognizing outstanding designers from across the globe. With its headquarters in the Netherlands, KGDA intends to become one of the most prestigious design awards in the Asia-Pacific region. As a means of promoting collaboration between design and society, KGDA provides designers from around the world with an opportunity to showcase their work, regardless of their country of origin or background.