Open Calls (Now Closed)

Competition Overview

WEAR Sustain ran two pan-European competitions in 2017. The first Open Call closed at the end of May 2017 and the second on 15th January 2018. Our aim is to support creative and technology collaboration for the evolution of critical, ethical, sustainable and aesthetic wearable technologies, The scope includes wearables and e-textiles worn on the body that may generate body data and/or data about your environment.

The WEAR program supports artists and designers to collaborate with technologists and engineers. We aim to support strong, well developed project ideas and take prototypes to the next level.

A total fund of €2.4m has been made available over two years, to fund up to 48 teams (Our first competition funded 22 collaborations). Projects receive support and input from mentors, experts, and hubs to help realise ideas, and promote developed prototypes.

Call Themes

The WEAR project sought proposals that address vital current and pressing issues facing European and global society. We created themed areas to guide proposals.

Applicants were asked to engage with one or more of the themes in a critical and creative way, proposing solutions to these issues. For Open Call 2, these themes were:

• Use, reuse or Waste
• Batteries & energy sources / generation
• Sourcing and life-cycle
• Data collection & Privacy
• Social / Workplace
• Body / Physiology / Somatics
• Open Category

Irrespective of the chosen theme(s), both major concerns (ethics and sustainability) had to be addressed in the proposal. The challenges involved in developing prototypes were to be both ethical and sustainable and contribute to the WEAR Sustain Sustainability Strategy, to guide future ethical and sustainable or circular design and development methodologies.

A full description of themes can be found here.

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Call Timeline

Open Call closed on 15th January 2018.

WEAR Sustain will choose up to 26 teams to work together to design and develop compelling aesthetic, ethical, environmental, and sustainable solutions for wearable technology and smart or e-textiles development, across all possible application domains. Up to €50,000 of funding is available to each team, which offers the means to jumpstart promising co-created concepts.

Winners will be promoted as pioneers of ethical and sustainable wearables, and e-textiles. Timeline:

• Selected finalists will be invited to pitch to a panel of experts in the week of 7th – 9th February 2018.
• Winners will be notified by 16th February 2018.
• Teams must be prepared to work together on their prototypes from the 19th March 2018, over a period of 6 months.

WEAR Support in Finding a Partner:

Prospective applicants were invited to attend one of the WEAR Sustain events for support and to meet a potential collaborator. WEAR Sustain webinars were also accessible to help with the application process.

Join the WEAR Online Network where you may source a collaborative partner.

 

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All applicants must register on the WEAR Sustain Online Network and complete their profile.

If you have any queries please email info@wearsustain.eu