Hundreds of apparel entrepreneurs are awarded scholarships into the FABRIC Apparel Entrepreneur Membership. Apply now to find out if you're the next recipient.
About the FABRIC Apparel Entrepreneur Scholarship
Our mission is to provide apparel entrepreneurs with training, guidance, innovative industry resources, and access to no-minimum manufacturing, so they can build sustainable fashion businesses domestically.
One way we do this is by providing access to a digital roadmap that guides apparel entrepreneurs through the hundreds of steps in business startup, branding, marketing, design development, and manufacturing and prepares/guides them through no-minimum manufacturing. Then we provide scholarships into this roadmap to select disadvantaged entrepreneurs.
Scholarships are available to Apparel Entrepreneurs who have completed the first four Getting Started steps. Click the button below to get started.
In addition to our regular scholarships, we are currently offering one special scholarship called the Jenni Bell Scholarship that includes a sewing machine, dress form, books, and fabrics. This special scholarship is only available through the month of August 2023.
The Jenni Bell Apparel Entrepreneur Scholarship
ABOUT JENNI BELL
Jenni Bell was a talented fashion designer and friend of FABRIC who passed away from cancer in 2023. Jenni’s formal training at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA and her industry experience at Sunrise Brands and X-Large Manufacturing fueled her love for the technical side of fashion. Upon returning to her home state of Arizona, Jenni found FABRIC to be an oasis in the desert that enabled her to stay connected with her favorite industry. Since FABRIC’s opening, Jenni could often regularly be found volunteering, attending and participating in FABRIC’s events, and utilizing its resources. When Jenni passed away on July 4, 2023, she generously left her industry tools to FABRIC in an effort to support the next generation of apparel entrepreneurs.
To honor Jenni’s memory, FABRIC is offering a scholarship in her name.
The ideal candidate for this scholarship is a student or aspiring designer who has some sewing skills and is hoping to take their hobby to the next level.
PRIZE PACKAGE
- Jenni’s Domestic Serger/Overlock Sewing Machine
- Jenni’s Adjustable Dress Form
- Jenni’s Fashion Books
- 2 Pattern Making Books
- Draping Book
- Sewing Book
- FABRIC Apparel Entrepreneur Membership with Roadmap ($70K+ value) includes:
- Industry guidance & consulting
- Instructions, video lessons, tips
- Downloadable industry resources
- Upgraded industry directory listing for your business
- Misc Fabrics & Trims
- Social Media Shoutout
- Inclusion on FABRIC’s Website Scholarship PageAudience Introduction at the August 2023 Behind The Seams Event
HOW TO APPLY
Send us an email (click the Apply for Jenni B Scholarship Button above) to let us know you're interested in applying for the Jenni Bell Scholarship. We'll send you a link to the Scholarship Application with special instructions. IMPORTANT: In the “Tell Us About Yourself” portion of the application be sure to...
- Mention that you’re interested in the Jenni Bell Scholarship
- Provide some details about your current level of sewing experience. You don’t have to be an expert. We just want to make sure you can already sew since the package includes a sewing machine. If not, you can still qualify for a regular Apparel Entrepreneur Scholarship that doesn’t include the sewing tools.
- Tell us about yourself in general and what your ultimate career goals are within fashion.
- Create a post on your Instagram account sharing why you’re an ideal candidate for the scholarship and tag us.
- Attend Behind The Seams on August 25, 2023 where the winner will be announced and prizes will be awarded. ***Must be present to win.***
TIMELINE
- July 25, 2023 Application opens
- August 27, 2023 Applications closed
- August 31, 2023 Winner announced at Behind The Seams. Must be present to win. RSVP HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Access to the Apparel Entrepreneur Digital Assistant: A tech-based, digital assistant that provides guidance, resources, and education via a “roadmap” of steps that navigate business startup, branding, marketing, product development, and manufacturing.
Regular Price: $350/mo
We offer two different scholarships.
- Full Scholarship: If awarded, recipient gets FREE access to the Apparel Entrepreneur Membership for one year. After one year, it will be $9.95/mo. Membership is month-to-month and can be canceled at any time.
- Partial Scholarship: If awarded, recipient pays only $50/mo for access to the Apparel Entrepreneur Membership. After one year, it will be $9.95/mo. Membership is month-to-month and can be canceled at any time.
Select minority, veteran, disabled, or economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs
Complete the first four steps of the Getting Started steps. On the third step, you'll be asked to pay one month of the Apparel Entrepreneur Membership at $350/mo. This is a month-to-month membership and you can cancel at any time. This investment in yourself also includes technical consulting, refinement of your product idea, costing, and guidance on sourcing. Specifically, in that first month, you'll....
GET ORGANIZED: You'll get organized and prepare to work with industry forms so that we (or any contractors you decide to work with) can get the information needed to successfully make your product.
DESIGN REVIEW: Meet with our experts to review your design idea. We'll work out the details together since the details are what determine the cost and your next steps.
REFINE YOUR IDEA: We'll help define or refine the technical details (construction details are nailed down in a technical flat sketch)
COST IT: Evaluate your product to determine costs before moving forward (count sewing operations, estimate fabric/trim yields, and consider development costs) You'll have a rough idea of what it may cost to make your product and what you'd need to sell it for before you dive in. And if you can't hit your target price, you'll know before you invest any more time and money.
SOURCING: Sourcing guidance and access to sourcing library.
ACCESS INDUSTRY RESOURCES, GUIDANCE, AND MASTERY: Access the Roadmap (including $70K of resources) including links, video tutorials, downloadable tools & contracts, tips, instructions, and step-by-step guidance in working through business startup, branding, samples/development, manufacturing, sales/marketing, fashion technology and more. Even if you decide not to work with FABRIC, this guidance and these resources are meant to be used anywhere. You can use it to hire contractors anywhere and have the confidence that you're speaking the language, providing what the contractor needs, and performing your responsibilities as the production manager for your brand.
After you accomplish this, you can choose to download all of the resources and walk away or apply for a scholarship to keep your membership and move forward.
You should hear back within one week
You will be provided with a coupon code by email to use toward the Apparel Entrepreneur Membership.
You will be informed by email. Check your spam folder just in case. Email education@fabricincubator.com if you haven't received a determination in over a week.
FREE access to 40 entrepreneurs per year
$50/mo access to 250 entrepreneurs per year
Only one scholarship/waiver is granted per brand/entrepreneur. You may not share the coupon code or information provided to you from the Apparel Entrepreneur Road Map with any other person or brand.
If you are not chosen for a scholarship, you may still use our digital assistant/roadmap at the $350/mo price or you may apply again in six months.
Yes, we regularly congratulate scholarship recipients publicly online. By applying for a scholarship, you agree to give us permission to share your brand name, logo, website (and tag/connect with you on social media) on our website, social media, newsletter, and in print. However, we will not share any of your personal information.