Circular Fashion Takes Centre Stage
As the fashion industry grapples with a mounting waste crisis, Redress, the Hong Kong-based environmental NGO, has delivered a powerful message: creativity can outpace the crisis. At the 15th anniversary edition of the Redress Design Award — the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition — the organisation broke new ground by naming two joint First Prize winners at a star-studded runway finale at CENTRESTAGE – Asia’s Fashion Spotlight, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The annual competition shines a global spotlight on emerging designers using waste as their raw material, proving that circular design can redefine the future of fashion.
🏆 Two Winners, One Mission: Rethinking Fashion’s Future
In a decision described as “unprecedented yet necessary,” the judges awarded joint First Prize to:
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Hugo Dumas (France) — whose upcycled and zero-waste collection focused on regenerative, fully recyclable design.
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Carla Zhang (Mainland China) — celebrated for her handwoven zero-waste collection made from complex surplus factory cords and yarns.
Their prizes, supported by DHL, include mentorship, an exclusive showcase at Shanghai Greenext Expo 2025, and a limited-edition retail collaboration with designer Flora Cheong-Leen (supported by the Tian Art Foundation).
“We chose two winners because their collections are distinctly different yet equally outstanding, both with innovative solutions to recuperate and elevate waste,” said Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution.
“This is about proving that creativity can transform waste into opportunity,” added Flora Cheong-Leen, Founder of Tian Art Fashion Design House.
Other winners included Mara San Pedro (Philippines), who claimed the People’s Choice Award, and Nathan Moy, who won Hong Kong Best.
🌍 A Call for Urgent Action
Dr. Christina Dean, Founder and Chair of Redress, issued a stark warning:
“Fashion’s current linear and wasteful system is unacceptable. Designers hold the pen to rewrite fashion’s story — yet they aren’t being adequately empowered. Around the world, the catastrophic carbon and water pollution, and textile waste that’s washing up on beaches and overflowing in landfills, is telling the planet something. The question is, are we listening?”
The statistics underscore the urgency: the global textile industry is only 0.3% circular, consumes 3.25 billion tonnes of material annually, and generates one garbage truck of textile waste every second. Waste is projected to rise by 60% between 2015 and 2030.
💡 Building a New Generation of Designers
The Redress Design Award has educated and supported over 23,000 designers across 92 regions and nurtures a global alumni network of 330+ designers, many now pioneering circular systems across the industry.
At the show, six Redress alumni brands — including ANNAISS YUCRA, The Loom Art, Wen Pan, PCES, the CHAOS, and Absurd Laboratory — also presented their latest collections, reinforcing the competition’s legacy of innovation.
Mrs. Lowell Cho, Acting Commissioner for the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), which led sponsorship, said:
“The award has been a catalyst for change, bringing together designers, industries, and academia. The works of this year’s cohort showcase the potential of circular fashion, and we look forward to seeing their profound impact.”
📦 The Power of Partnerships
DHL, the lead sponsor, emphasised the importance of collaboration.
“Supporting the Redress Design Award aligns with our commitment to driving sustainability across industries,” said Andy Chiang, SVP & MD, DHL Express Hong Kong and Macau.
“These designers prove that circular fashion isn’t just a vision, but a viable path forward.”