Fashion design challenge announces finalists from across the globe

Since its inception in 2018, the R|ElanTM Circular Design Challenge (CDC) has become a leading platform for emerging talent in sustainable fashion to showcase their circular innovations globally. This year, CDC's worldwide edition spans the Asia-Pacific, European Union, and United Kingdom regions, culminating at Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, this October, in New Delhi, India. Presented by R|ElanTM, the next gen fabric brand of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), in collaboration with the United Nations in India, CDC is committed to promoting a greener and more sustainable future by fostering eco-conscious creativity that addresses the pressing issue of waste and the carbon footprint of the fashion industry.

Circular Design Challenge has been pivotal in driving India’s fashion industry towards eco-consciousness and aims to provide a global platform for sustainable fashion and design talent to find scalable waste-reduction solutions. CDC originated in India six years ago with a mission to nurture emerging talent in the fashion industry. Last year marked its first global edition, expanding its reach and impact.

This year, the international jury rounds successfully kick-started in Milan and the final meet concluded in Mumbai, India. Each of the jury sessions featured strong pitches from exceptional designers in front of an esteemed panel, who made the selections. The winning designers, who will be the finalists presenting at the upcoming edition of CDC are Xu Wenyan of Saltless for EU, Tsang Fan Yu for the APAC region, Silvia Acién of ACIEN for UK and Gautam Malik of Jaggery, Ritwik Khanna of RKive City and Chandini Batra of A Blunt Story from India.

Mr. Hemant D. Sharma, Sector Head – Polyester, RIL said: “At Reliance Industries, we are committed to pioneering sustainability. R|ElanTM Circular Design Challenge exemplifies our dedication to fostering innovation and circularity in the fashion industry. By identifying and supporting eco-conscious designers and incentivizing scalable circular solutions, we are working towards a greener future. Our efforts to reduce waste and inculcate sustainability in fashion reflect our broader goal of creating a circular economy that benefits both the environment and society”.

Mr Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India said, “Responding to the UN Secretary-General’s urgent call to ‘make peace with nature’, the UN in India is a proud partner of the CDC. For its second edition, CDC is once again joining hands with our partners in the various regions spotlighting designers and entrepreneurs, who practice circularity and sustainability in the fashion and textile industries. Together, we are helping drive innovations in energy efficiency, closed-loop systems, and the use of

ethically produced materials, ensuring that the social and environmental impacts align with one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

The R|ElanTMCircular Design Challenge emphasizes critical sustainability parameters for evaluation, including biodegradability, durability, and multifunctionality of products. To make sure that the social and environmental factors are in line with one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, the jury evaluates elements like energy efficiency, closed-loop systems, and the use of ethically produced materials.

The finalists from APAC, UK and EU will be flown to New Delhi, India in October, where together with the India finalists, they will pitch their work to an esteemed jury at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI. The CDC winner will receive funding worth INR 15 Lakhs, CDC Trophy, and a six-month mentorship program, along with a stand-alone showcase at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI in March 2025. The runner-up will receive funding worth INR 5 Lakhs and mentorship.

The winner and runner-up will be mentored by Orsola de Castro, Co-founder of Fashion Revolution & Creative Director of Estethica; and this influential partnership will provide invaluable guidance to the designers.

Mr. Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands that organizes Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with Fashion Design Council of India said, “Together with R|ElanTM and the United Nations in India, we have made Circular Design Challenge India's largest global award for sustainability and circular fashion. CDC pushes the needle on climate action by discovering and mentoring circular fashion designers and innovators, helping them scale and empowering them to drive real impact. We envision transforming this platform into a global beacon of forward-thinking excellence, inviting groundbreaking partnerships worldwide."

CDC partners across borders include the British Council for the UK, Redress for Hong Kong / Asia Pacific, and Istituto Marangoni for the European Union.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Circular Design Challenge for a second year, uniting with Reliance Industries and United Nations India, to support the next generation of designers, who are championing a more inclusive, responsible and regenerative industry. We hope that this platform will act as a catalyst for creativity - showcasing a diversity of sustainable practices from across different geographies, as well as facilitating knowledge exchange around alternative fashion systems,” said Hannah Robinson, Architecture Design & Fashion department, British Council.

Dr. Christina Dean, Founder and Board Chair of Redress said, “We are delighted to support the CDC and Reliance Industries in hosting the second APAC jury event. Our mission at Redress is to educate and empower designers and consumers alike to pave the way for a circular fashion industry. As Asia is the world’s largest producer and consumer of textiles and apparel, our work is strategically Asia-focused, and we’re honoured to participate in the Asia-Pacific semi-final of this important initiative that recognizes our talented designers of the future.”

Stefania Valenti, Managing Director, Istituto Marangoni said, “We are pleased to partner with CDC and Reliance Industries to host the second edition of the European selection chapter of the Circular Design Challenge. As one of the leading educational institutions focused on fashion, our mission is to train the new generation of designers for creating a culture of circularity and sustainable fashion and an eco-conscious mindset. Thanks to the past collaboration of one of our notable Alumni Fashion Designer,

Rahul Mishra, with Reliance Brands, who supported him because of his strong commitment to sustainability, we are honoured to participate in this year's CDC edition with our emerging Alumni Designers that effectively represent this mindset.”

For the past few years, the CDC has identified and supported exceptional innovators who integrate fashion with environmentally friendly advancements. Notable winners include Without by Anish Malpani – recycling multi-layer packaging to make eyewear, I Was A Sari, which upcycles discarded saris to empower women artisans, and Bandit, which masters upcycling diverse materials into trendy eco-conscious products. Moreover, the platform has supported over 25 alumni through workshops and networking, gradually transforming the fashion ecosystem towards sustainability.

Follow CDC on social media: Instagram: @CircularDesignChallenge Details of the Jury rounds:

INDIA JURY MEET: Jury Members:

1. Anaita Shroff Adajania: Celebrity Stylist and Costume Designer

2. Ambika Muttoo: Editor-in-Chief, Femina

3. Aparna Badlani: Creative Director, AZA

4. Karishma Shahani-Khan: Fashion Designer & CDC Design Mentor

5. Pranav Khanna: Incubator & CDC Business Mentor

6. Darshana Gajare: Head of Sustainability, Reliance Brands Limited

Participants and Winners:

Winners:

1. Jaggery | Reimaging Waste - Jaggery reimagines sustainability through innovative models like Product-as-a-Service (PAAS) and Sustainable Solutions through collaborations. They fight waste with fierce style, for example, upcycled car seat belts and rescued materials transform into eco-conscious bags. They empower communities, proving fashion can be a force for good that's both stylish and sustainable. They draw inspiration from the stark beauty of brutalist architecture and the shadows of film noir. Jaggery’s minimalist aesthetic celebrates urban decay and finding beauty in imperfection.

2. A Blunt Story - A BLUNT STORY flips the script on footwear with sandals made from eco-friendly materials. They challenge traditional practices by using plant-based and recycled components throughout their designs. This socially conscious brand prioritizes both the environment and the people who make their shoes. They've developed unique materials – UNCRUDE®- soles made from renewable plants and agricultural waste, and UNWASTETM- uppers crafted from recycled materials.

3. RKive City - Rkive, a research and design house, that disrupts the fashion industry's reliance on virgin textiles. They champion a sustainable approach by upcycling post-consumer waste and transforming discarded garments through a unique textile revival system. This closed-loop process empowers artisans to extend the life of clothing and unlock its hidden potential, minimizing environmental impact. From tailored blazers to thoughtfully reworked Carhartt bags, they express creativity through denim and are unique in their own ways.

Participants:

4. Kalaa5. Lafaani6. Greensole7. Econock8. BioLeather & Foret & Atelier Anavo

ASIA-PACIFIC JURY MEET: Jury Members:

1. Clare Press: Journalist, Author and Presenter

2. Vickie Au: Founder & Sustainable Fashion Consultant

3. Jennifer Whitty: Sustainable Design Systems Professor, Designer, Writer

4. Christina Dean: Founder, Redress

Winner:

1. Tsang Fan Yu (Winner) Tsang Fan Yu is a seasoned sustainable designer who upcycles renewable and waste materials in his designs, thereby reducing the need for virgin resources and diverting waste from landfills. He strives to create a closed-loop production system by incorporating recycled materials into their products and designing them to be easily repairable and upgradable, extending their lifespan and minimizing the need for disposal. By encouraging collaboration among stakeholders in the textile industry, including manufacturers and brands, they foster innovation and the adoption of sustainable practices to tackle textile waste comprehensively.

Participants:

1. Jesse Lee

2. Vu Ta Linh

3. Jasmine Leung

UK JURY MEET: Jury Members:

1. Ella Bulley: Material Designer & Artist, Ella Bulley Studio

2. Jennifer Droguett Espinosa: Creative Director & Fashion Designer Anciela

3. Mark Eley - Programme Leader - Jimmy Choo Academy

4. Purnima Lamba: Global Brand Vice-President, Unilever (Beauty & Wellbeing)

5. Rachel Arthur: Sustainable fashion advocacy lead, UNEP

6. Sevra Davis: Director of Architecture, Design and Fashion, British Council

Winner:

1. Silvia Acién (Winner) Silvia Acién founded ACIEN, a regenerative knitwear brand using organic fibers like Himalayan nettle and pineapple yarn. ACIEN employs natural dyeing processes with invasive plants and bacteria to enrich fibers, ensuring effective biodegradation. The brand also preserves ancestral techniques from Silvia's grandmother, blending farming, science, and fashion to connect past and future.

Participants:

1. DIJAGO - Gracey and Khadija

2. Kyle Ho

3. Eirinn Hayhow

4. Ranura Edirisinghe

5. Isabelle Pennington-Edmead

EU JURY MEET: Jury Members:

1. Francesca Delogu: Fashion & Lifestyle Journalist

2. Sara Maino: Creative Director, Fondazione Sozzani

3. Francesco Fioretto: Research and Academic Director, Istituto Marangoni

4. Marina Spadafora: Sustainability Advisor, Professor & Author

5. Tiziano Guardini: Fashion designer

Winner:

1. Xu Wenyan (Winner) Founded by Wenyan Xu in 2019 and based in Milan's Zone Lima, Saltless combines Italian vintage craftsmanship with sustainability. The brand offers vintage clothing and design services, sourcing items globally and locally. The new collection by Saltless, reimagines design by merging Eastern allure with European draping techniques and incorporating Indian elements.

Participants:

1. Katherine Scheel

2. Leyla Babayeva