The prestigious knitwear competition Knit for Next offered a two-week training program in China, along with the opportunity to produce the winning designs in a specialist knit factory.
Knit for Next is an annual design competition organised by Xinao, one of the world’s leading yarn manufacturers. Each year, it brings together students from fashion schools across the globe.
London College of Fashion, UAL has built a strong relationship with the competition over the years, earning recognition for the exceptional quality of its student entries. “We’ve made such good entries and won several awards each year that now we get invited to enter,” says Carolyn Clewer, Senior Lecturer on BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Knit course. “It’s a massive opportunity for our students to showcase their work on a global stage,” she says.
This year’s theme focused on sportswear, with participants required to design both an inner and outer garment for one of four categories: skiing, hiking, wellness, or cycling. Yingruo chose to design skiwear because of the functionality and multi-layering of these garments. “As skiing is an outdoor winter sport, I thought I’d have more freedom to create what I wanted,” she explains. Yingruo also enjoys skiing.
Inspired by the documentary Vanishing Lines, Yingruo’s designs addressed the environmental impact of expanding ski resorts on the world’s last remaining glaciers. Drawing on her knitwear background, Yingruo was able to focus on intricate details, such as textures that mimic the wheel marks left in the snow. “Since I already understood how the machines worked, I could easily tell if something was feasible,” she says, reflecting on her confident discussions with the company’s chief designers and technicians.
The biggest challenge was balancing her design vision with the manufacturer’s demands. “Big companies are often too busy producing their own products to dedicate much time to innovative designs like mine,” Yingruo explains.
Her final design was completely seamless, eliminating the need for cutting or sewing. “Knitwear itself is relatively sustainable because shapes can be created directly on the machines, reducing fabric waste,” she explains.
“If a garment is both creative and wearable, it’s sustainable because you’ll keep it in your wardrobe for years,” Yingruo adds. The competition pushed her to be innovative and creative while also thinking about how to design commercially without compromising artistic vision.
Yingruo encourages other students not to underestimate their creativity and to seize every opportunity that comes their way. “I initially wondered if it was worth investing my time in this, because winning seemed unlikely. But you never know,” she says. “Just do it—don’t overthink it or talk yourself out of participating.”
Lecturer Carolyn Clewer values students who are ambitious and willing to put the time into extracurricular projects. “Yingruo is the kind of person who’ll stay up late to get something done if it’s not good enough – she's got that kind of energy,” she comments.
The knit course fosters a close-knit community as students from all years share the same workshop. “Seeing students take on challenges and succeed—both during their studies and as graduates – is incredibly rewarding,” Carolyn reflects. “That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”