Led by our Technical Tutor for Knit Technology, Mary Corcoran, who brings three decades of experience working with Shima Seiki technology, the event highlighted just how powerfully knit can connect disciplines, campuses, and industry.
The workshop brought together a wide range of SDCA colleagues, including Dr. Sadat Sayem (Programme Lead for Textiles), Bee King (Technical Tutor for Stitch Textile Technology), Prof. Claire Warden (Associate Dean for Research and Innovation), and Hannah Money (University Teacher for Art & Design Foundation Studies). Their involvement reflected our shared commitment to cross‑school collaboration and the growing role of knit technology as a unifying space for innovation.
Our students were equally well represented, with attendees from Fashion Design & Technology, Textile Design, Art & Design Foundation Studies, and doctoral research. We were especially pleased to welcome Rue Rupprecht, a PhD researcher from the Loughborough Sports Technology Institute, whose work demonstrates the expanding applications of knit beyond traditional fashion.
We were also proud to see recent Textiles graduate Lucy Kolodkin return to share her experience after completing a full week of training on Shima’s Apex Design software—an opportunity made possible through Shima Europe and facilitated by Mary. Lucy’s journey, from working on our Shima industrial knitting machine for her degree collection to now supporting current students, is a testament to the value of our long-standing partnership with this global manufacturer.
Our guests from Shima Europe, Simon Peach and Graham Davies, were joined by Ukyo Kuwata, Chief of Global Sales Group at Shima Japan. Their visit was a highlight for our community, offering rare access to cutting‑edge knitted samples and insights into the latest technological developments from Japan.
After the presentation, we continued conversations with the Shima Europe team at their UK headquarters, just 25 minutes away in Castle Donington. This proximity continues to strengthen our collaboration and opens doors for future engagement.
“It is an honour and great opportunity for our colleagues and students alike to engage with industry in this way, and this far-reaching group from Loughborough University has proven the ability for Knit Technology to be a wonderful conduit to bring together cross‑school and cross‑campus connections through Shima Seiki as our industry partner.” - Mary Corcoran, Technical Tutor for Knit Technology, SDCA
“We really enjoyed our recent visit to Loughborough University and the Knit Workshop organised by Mary Corcoran. Meeting with likeminded people, important stakeholders and students that are hopefully just starting out in their careers in knitwear is always a pleasure. The event coincided with a visit to Europe from two of our colleagues from Japan and they were very grateful for the welcome and interest. Having the opportunity to share latest samples, talk about knit techniques and potential applications beyond just jumpers is always great. The world of knit is huge and hopefully we were able to contribute to inspiring some great thoughts and ideas on its use.” - Graham Davies, Sales Manager, Shima Seiki
For us at the School of Design and Creative Arts, this event reaffirmed the importance of industry partnerships in shaping the future of our teaching, research, and student experience. Knit technology continues to be a powerful connector—linking disciplines, sparking innovation, and opening pathways for our students to engage with global leaders in the field.