Mindful Fashion Circular Design Award

We love to see the strides that some of our favourite brands are making in the sustainability space as they seek to find circular solutions, but it’s no secret that there is still plenty of room for innovation and improvement across the industry. Mindful Fashion is a non-profit industry organisation on a mission to change the way products are designed, made, used and circulated, to keep valuable resources in use and out of landfill. They pose the question; “how might we start to redefine fashion systems in Aotearoa New Zealand to be more circular and regenerative?”

Cue, the Mindful Fashion Circular Design Award. 

In partnership with the Gattung Foundation, Mindful Fashion has announced the launch of the Mindful Fashion Circular Design Award. This new award is a sustainable design competition that challenges designers to cut waste out of fashion. It’s a chance to put the spotlight on, and celebrate, circular solutions in fashion. The design brief asks entrants to design and create a wearable garment using textile waste, and provide a plan for the garment’s life cycle, exploring and sourcing from their region. The initiative aims to inspire and support designers to reimagine how they approach and use textiles.

To submit an outfit for the award, entrants need to apply before July 21, they will then have until November 10 to make their outfits. During July and August all entrants can attend a range of workshops hosted by Mindful Fashion, alongside industry and knowledge partners. These workshops will encourage the exploration of new ways of thinking and working, and support entrants to explore the principles of the circular economy. 

The esteemed judging panel will then select up to 10 finalists to go through to the final phase of the award programme. Finalists will each receive a prize pack up to the value of $2,500 and an invitation for themselves and a friend to attend the final award presentation, where their entry will be showcased. Additionally, there are three major awards: creative excellence, innovation with commercial potential, and emerging talent, with winners receiving prizes valued at $7,500. The prize pool totals an impressive $40,000 (contributed by the Gattung Foundation, and the awards’ other sponsors and partners).

If you want to get involved, click here to find out about the award programme, read the design brief and submit your application.