De Montfort University (DMU) has become the first higher education institution to publicly partner with fashion technology platform CircKit. From September 2026, the university will introduce CircKit’s circular design and compliance software into its courses through the company’s “CircKit for Universities” academic licensing programme. The initiative aims to give students practical sustainability skills rather than relying mainly on classroom theory.

By using CircKit across several courses, DMU students will be able to carry out Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), study the environmental impact of materials and work through realistic commercial situations during the early stages of product design.

CircKit’s approach focuses on finding a balance between business needs, regulatory requirements and environmental performance. CircKit Founder and CEO Joe Darwen said DMU’s early adoption sets a new direction for fashion education by presenting circularity as an important part of business rather than a restriction on creativity.