The BFC Student Fabric Initiative is a deadstock donation project created to encourage the donation of quality fabrics and components to students studying at BFC Colleges Council member universities. This is a charitable initiative that the BFC undertakes on a yearly basis, and comes at no cost to those universities.
The purpose is to help students get access to free quality materials and to normalise the use of deadstock as part of their design practice. The scheme’s ultimate ambition is to create a simple and efficient way for designer brands and universities to work together and provide practical support for future talent, bringing sustainability and circularity even closer to the heart of fashion education in the UK. For 2022/23 the BFC partnered with The Materialist, a high-end excess stock marketplace, who oversaw all deliveries to universities across the UK.
For the first time this year, the BFC also launched a Student Competition in conjunction with the initiative, to encourage new talent at BA and MA level to think creatively about deadstock and circularity, by submitting a design proposal that could be fully realised and showcased at the IPF Forum 2023.
In total, 8 finalists were selected to exhibit their creations and guests attending the event had the opportunity to vote for their favourite look.
Anna Kalifatidou was announced as the winner of the Student Fabric Initiative competition at the IPF Forum 2023.