Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc

Course overview

On this new course, you’ll discover and drive sustainable and innovative textile solutions to unravel the global environmental and societal challenges faced by textile and related industries. You’ll gain an advanced understanding of the role that technology plays in the development of innovative and sustainable textile materials, processes and products of the future. Through compulsory modules, you’ll gain fundamental knowledge of the topic, which you’ll supplement with a choice of optional modules that give you the chance to specialise in areas aligned to your interests and career aspirations.

You’ll investigate how textile businesses across the world are seeking new sustainable raw materials and manufacturing methods to engineer innovative products for consumer and industrial applications. With a rising demand for environmental alternatives to the current materials and methods, you’ll explore how the drive for circularity is destined to change the future landscape of the global textile industry.

You’ll become a graduate who can innovate, create, manufacture and evaluate materials, technologies, processes and products that meet the requirements of the global sector, while demonstrating a practical understanding of how to implement sustainable development in a commercial setting. You’ll gain the valuable knowledge and skills that are required to accelerate commercial developments to meet sustainability targets for retailers and consumers.

Scholarships for 2025 Entry

The UK Fashion and Textile Association Ltd (the largest network for fashion and textile companies in the UK) has worked with the School of Design to inform the creation of the BSc Textile Innovation and Sustainability and are managing 11 scholarships to support UK students undertaking study in this important field.

Entry requirements

A-level: ABB Preferably including one Maths or Science subject (with a pass in the science practical). Excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking

GCSE: 5/6 A-C (or 4+) including English.

International Baccalaureate

Career opportunities

The BSc Textile Innovation and Sustainability course is designed to equip you with a diverse range of knowledge and professional skills. As there will be an emphasis on the role of innovation and technology in addressing some of the key challenges the industry faces in the future, you’ll have skills that set you apart from other graduates in this field. You’ll be equipped with the skills, knowledge and practical experience that will allow you to develop your career opportunities across a diverse range of textile and fashion manufacturing roles, product research and development, and technical management. In addition, there will be opportunities to consider roles within material sourcing, technical support, and technical sales. There will also be opportunities to consider roles within sustainability with non-governmental organisations, policy and government and the expanding field of sustainability consultancies.

Your career opportunities can include sustainability management roles in the textile industry and retailors, textile innovation and/or product development, fashion buyers, textile management, technical consultancy, garment technologists, testing laboratory professionals, technical marketing and support, colour technologists, retail and supply chain management, textile technology/engineering positions, project scientists and quality assurance, quality engineer, technical sales, logistics and supply engineer, production engineer, product manager, R&D Engineer, production Engineer, and management roles in the textile sector. The roles can be in the areas of fibre/yarn spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, garment manufacturing, testing laboratories, nonwoven industry, composites and other areas of technical textiles.

In addition, flexibility, resilience and transferable skills are desirable attributes for all professionals of the future. In the School of Design, as well as providing you with research-led, industry- informed subject-specific knowledge, we aim to equip you with the best possible skills for a variety of future careers. Problem solving skills, combined with excellent research and criticality, are increasingly valued across a wide range of sectors; therefore, your degree from the University of Leeds opens opportunities across disciplines and multiple industries.