A graduate has won a £5,000 Wool Innovation award.

University of Brighton textiles masters graduate Megan Lovett will collect her prize and a framed certificate from the Lord Mayor of London Dr Andrew Parmley on Wednesday at the Woolmen’s Civic Dinner at Clothworkers Hall in the City of London.

The award, given on behalf of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen and The Company of Merchants of the Staple of England, is an annual prize for “innovation which is commercially viable”.

Megan’s collection Loop and Weft explores the use of both woven and knitted textiles, using innovative techniques to investigate the possibilities of combining the two.

Through a 3D design process and working directly on the body, single pieces of custom designed woven fabric have been transformed, through knitting, into simple garment shapes which feature both structures in bright and neutral palettes.

Megan, who graduated this year with distinction, was an “exemplary” student, according to Dr Caterina Radvan, the University’s academic programme leader for fashion and textiles.

She said: “Megan engaged with every aspect of the course from organising fund-raising events to taking advantage of work-placements – and all while focusing consistently on her studies.

“After graduating she immediately gained full-time employment as a textile design assistant at a luxury brand in London.”

Megan said: “I was totally shocked when I heard I’d won the award, but it was such a good feeling to know that my work was appreciated by others and seen to be exciting.

“It really made me remember how much I enjoyed building my final collection and how much I loved developing the techniques.

“I feel so lucky that I was encouraged by such wonderful teaching and technical staff at Brighton.”