Skip to form
ISAIC Honors 2025 Logo (1)

ISAIC DESIGN2MANUFACTURING FELLOWSHIP

Applications open: May 5 - June 23, 2025

Grant Program Period: September 20, 2025 - APRIL 23, 2025

Grant: $10,000 (2 available)


APPLICATION

The Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC) is offering two competitive fellowship opportunities to introduce designers to the process of bringing their designs to life through an advanced manufacturing project. Over the course of six months, they will deepen their knowledge of the skills and processes needed to sustainably and efficiently direct the manufacturing of their products. They’ll learn the basics of industrial sewing and product design through the latest technologies and innovations available through ISAIC. They’ll have access to industry experts to guide them on pattern making, pricing, business development, and more to prepare them to manufacture a sample run of their own custom product. The goal of the program is to expand access to ISAIC equipment and expertise to support local fashion designers. 

This grant is made possible through the support of the JP Morgan Chase Bank.

TIMELINE

MAY 5                       Call opens
JUNE 23                   Call closes
AUGUST 20              Winners notified
SEPTEMBER 20        Program Starts
DECEMBER 19          Milestone 1 - Prototype ready 
MARCH 20                Milestone 2 – Final sample ready 
APRIL 23                   Participation in ISAIC Honors

 

JUDGING CRITERIA

(25%) TRACK RECORD: Does the applicant have experience designing, producing, and selling a product?
(50%) CREATIVITY: Does the applicant have a unique and interesting idea for a product? What is the applicant’s approach to research and development? How does their idea reflect innovation and sustainability?
(25%) COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: Does the applicant’s idea have commercial potential?


ELIGIBLITY

  • Product categories
    • T-Shirts/Tops
    • Hoodies
    • Beanies
    • Knitted tops
    • Jerseys
    • Bags
  • Must be able to participate in the 6-month program including:
    • 1) Completion of training content or successful test-out
      • 2-Week Introduction to Industrial Sewing
        • Lectra pattern making
        • Clo3D
        • Seddi
        • Techpacker
        • DigitPen5 innovation trainings
    • 2) Approx. 100 hours on-site during ISAIC business hours 7:00am-5:00pm M-F and additional 200 hours of project time offsite
    • 3) Monthly check-ins on progress with project team
    • 4) Completion of grant milestones
  • Must be a Detroit or Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, or Washtenaw county resident
  • Must have an active business that is not currently manufacturing domestically
  • Must be eligible to receive taxable income (SSN, ITIN, EIN)
  • Must be 18+ years old
  • Must agree to the following payment plan Payment plan:
    • $2,500 upon grant start date
    • $2,500 upon Milestone 1 completion
    • $5,000 upon Milestone 2 completion

 

Questions? Contact education@isaic.org

Section 1 - Submission Information

Applicant Type*

Section 2 - Project Information

Describe your project clearly and concisely. This line should give us a sense of what you’re interested in producing and what makes it unique.
Materials: specify any textiles/fibers you are interested in.

Equipment/Technology: Are there specific tools or technology required for your project? ISAIC will try to provide what we can where possible.

Space: Do you plan to utilize space at ISAIC for production? If so, how much space is required? ISAIC will provide a working space for textile fabrication.

Resources: Are there any additional resources you need that you would like to share? ISAIC will try to provide additional resources where possible.
Tell us about your project’s milestones, particularly those related to the project’s development during the 6-month fellowship period. If you have multiple team members, please describe the roles of each member.
You may upload up to 3 files that showcase your work. The files should not exceed Xmb or 5 slides/pages.

Section 3 - Contact Information

Section 4 - Voluntary Demographic Information

ISAIC collects demographic data on its applicants in order to better understand our community and accessibility of our programs. This form is a short survey that asks for your age, career stage, and other demographic information. All questions are optional and will not be shared with jurors nor will they be a considering factor in your application. Your full responses will remain confidential and will only be reviewed by ISAIC team members. Demographic data will be compiled for internal learning and shared in the aggregate for reporting to funders and partners. Personal identifying data will be removed prior to sharing. Your responses will help us better understand our gaps and where we can improve.

For collaboratives: Only one member needs to fill out the voluntary survey. We welcome your feedback.

Race: Select all that apply.

Section 5 - Acknowledgment