MISSION STATEMENT +

TEX+ is a career accelerator, connecting the next generation with textile industry professionals to build skills, networks and futures.​

Our aim is to provide opportunities for textile graduates from UK universities as they embark on their professional lives, making lasting social impact through work placements, financial awards, best practice guidance and peer-to-peer support.​

FUNDING

Thank you to all who are making donations to TEX+ 2026

If you are making a donation to one of our legacy prizes please write in the comments or email us directly with details on whether its for The John Miles or The Helga Goldman Legacy prize or both.

BACKGROUND +

TEX+ is a charity driven by a group for whom textiles has been the foundation of their diverse career paths. Textiles by nature have wide ranging applications and are integral to all our lives. ​

Our mission is to coalesce professionals across textile disciplines with the next generation of textile practitioners, offering guidance and opportunities for young people as they embark on their professional lives. ​

TEX+ is acknowledged as being of public benefit and in December 2024 TEX+ achieved Charitable Incorporated Organisation status by the Charity Commission of England and Wales (Registered Charity Number 1211314).

STATEMENTS +

Carlo Volpi, Tutor at the RCA, Creative director at Hong Kong-based spinner UPW

“When you leave college, it’s very easy to get depressed, I’ve done all this stuff and what now? It was great to have something to look forward to. I’m finished but I have a show in London then a whole summer to create work for Paris then Hong Kong, a lot of things happening to keep you motivated. It was great.”

Kirsty McDougall, (Tx2002), weave design studio.

“I would just have graduated, and people would have said, you need to show your portfolio and I was too shy, just to have those first few sales and projects kickstarted everything. I would have done something in

textiles, but running my own businesses, I would not have started [so soon]. It was pivotal. The support never ended, there was a family feeling about it, and there was a connectedness about it. People keeping in touch, Joanna or Peter, you met so many people and it was an ongoing thing; going back to be a judge.”

“It’s good to keep connected. From a professional point of view, it's good to look at collaboration, discuss what’s happening in textiles, to look at issues in the industry, how it’s changing. A dedicated point for discussion and professional connections,”

(Tx2002), own weave design studio.

Margo Selby, Woven designer, "Tx programme “massively” influenced my career: I sold designs, I had projects, so much press, it was a great platform. I used to keep all my press cuttings and a lot of them were around Tx"

Lucy Jones (Tx2013) gifts and homeware designer, Next.

“It would be lovely and it’s always beneficial to have contacts in the industry,”

Emma Sewell (Tx1990) co-owner, Wallace Sewell.

“If there’s any way to broaden the connections, beyond your own focus, across the design world, in a broader way. There are lots of networking events, but I’m rubbish and wouldn’t go to anything. If it’s more structured, rather than social, I’m rubbish at introducing myself, ‘hello I’mEmma…’. It has to be purposeful,”

Paul Roberts (Tx 2013) Freelance print designer

“I would love to meet up with other people in the industry … bounce ideas off one another – creative people need to work with other creatives – in isolation, it is very difficult. A working group, a collective where you do projects together would be amazing,”