CHANGES COMING TO FASHION APPAREL AND DESIGN CONTEST IN 2027

 Overview 

• In this competition, college students enrolled in Fashion or Apparel Design degrees work to create original garment concepts, then sew, knit, crochet, or felt the garment(s) using wool fabrics, fibers, and/or yarns. The goal of this competition is to encourage the up-and-coming minds of fashion to explore the unique traits and versatility of wool. The winner receives a $1000 scholarship from the American Wool Council and a Trip (Travel and Lodging) to the National MIWW Sewing Competition in January 2027. They also may have their garment featured in Threads Magazine. This years entry deadline will still be Nov. 15th, 2026.  THIS WILL BE OUR LAST NOVEMBER CONTEST.  Next year (2027), we are trying to move the competition to May to better align with school timelines, with a deadline of May 15th. 

 Garment: 

       The garment(s) must be:

•  Patterned by the student, Draping, flat patterning, CAD/other digital drafting programs.
•  Made of 100% wool or blends containing a minimum of 60% wool or specialty wool fiber (alpaca, angora, camel, cashmere, llama, mohair, and vicuna) The fabric and yarn WILL BE TESTED. 
• Trims, facings, linings, interfacings, and underlining may be from fabrics other than wool Rovings and other materials used in fabric treatments, such as felting, must meet the minimum percentage of wool fiber Sheep and/or lamb pelts and leather may be used as trim only. 
• If you are unsure about your fabric's wool content, you can send a sample to Meegan Veeder-Shave at 475 North Quaker Lane, Hyde Park, NY,12538, and we will be happy to test it for you before the competition. 
• The garment may be created for the participant or another/ model 

Digital portfolio:

        Your portfolio should include: 

• A design presentation board sketches showing various angles of garment(s) 
• A description of garment(s) and accessories (if accessories are made of wool and are handmade)
•  An explanation of the design method/ process used (flat pattern/ CAD/ draping, or combination) 
• Four to six (4-6) Photos showing front, back, right side, and left side of garment(s) worn by participant/model. 
• Google Slides is our recommendation, but not the required format 
• A Video with 2 segments including:
•  a 90- Second clip of the garment(s) worn and styled by participant/model 
• Begin with the front, back, and side views of the garment 
• Include close-ups showing design and construction details, fit, etc. 
• NO commentary, music, or artistic camera angles. 
• A 30-second to 1-minute clip 
• Briefly explain your design and discuss your experience using wool in this project and/or in your work overall. 
• A YouTube link is preferred; be sure that someone other than yourself is able to open this link. 
• Participant’s name must NOT be part of this digital portfolio in any way, as it will be shown to the judges 

Entry Guidelines: 

        Email:

• Submit your entry information to Fashion/Apparel Design Coordinator Meegan Veeder-Shave at meeganveedershave@gmail.com no later than November 15th
• Please include within the email text the following information (Note: this information will NOT be seen by the judges 
• Participant name, home and school addresses, date of birth, email address, phone number(s) 
• Name of College/ University 
• Major and Minor (when applicable) course of study 
• Advisor's name, School address, email, and phone number(s). 
• A link to your digital portfolio or a pdf version attached to the email 
• A link to your garment video 

Mail:

      Mail the following to:

•  Amelia Parry - National MIWW Director

                   372 South 800 West 

                   Salem, Utah 84653 

• Completed entry form You can find this at Make It With Wool or get it from your school representative Your design advisor must sign the entry form 
• $15 Entry Fee Check payable to: MIWW 
• 1 (one) 5” x 5” sample of each fabric used, or 36” length of each yarn used. 
• Please additionally send a sample of this size to:

                Meegan Veeder- Shave 

                475 North Quaker Lane

                Hyde Park, NY, 12538 

• This all should all arrive before the date of November 15th, 2026.

Judging Critera:

•  Marketability -  These Garments should convey/promote the beauty, comfort, and versatility of wool. The outfit should have a clear point of view and an audience it has been designed for. Who might wear this outfit? 
• Originality - Our judges value creativity in garment design and the use of wool fabrics, fibers, and/ or yarn. This can be through interesting shapes, style lines, use of color, or fabric manipulation and embellishment. 
• Presentation and Realization of Design -  While the design is important, the presentation of the design is also a large part of judging. This includes the construction, fit, overall appearance and styling of the garment. 
•  Use and presentation of wool fabrics, fibers, and or yarns - This contest is sponsored by and held in conjunction with the American Sheep Industry National Convention.  The fiber industry is looking for and needing innovative designs to continue to sell their products.
• Additionally, the quality of the portfolio, photos, and modeling video will be part of the presentation score. Make sure the portfolio segment is COMPLETE, and all instructions have been followed. 

Winner and Additional Info:

• Winner will receive a $1000 scholarship from the American Wool Council and a Trip (Travel and Lodging) to the National MIWW Sewing Competition in January 2027. 
• The winner will participate in the National MIWW Fashion Show and other activities. Designer is responsible for their model’s travel and lodging expenses. Prior arrangements may be made with the National MIWW Director to use another model at the convention. 
• Fashion Apparel Design Winner may not compete again.
•  Individuals may not participate in the State Sewing Competition and the Fashion/ Apparel Design Competition during the same year. Must choose one. 
• Competition may be discontinued due to lack of entries or loss of funding.