The Circular Design Challenge has been instrumental in driving the Indian fashion industry towards eco-consciousness and aims to provide a global platform for sustainable fashion and design talents to find scalable solutions for waste reduction. The CDC originated in India six years ago with a mission to foster emerging talent in the fashion industry. Its first global edition was held last year, expanding its reach and impact.
This year, the international jury rounds kicked off successfully in Milan and the final meeting concluded in Mumbai, India. Each of the jury sessions featured strong proposals from exceptional designers in front of a prestigious panel, which made the selections. The winning designers, who will be the finalists to be presented at the next edition of CDC, are Wenyan Xu of Saltless for the EU, Tsang Fan Yu for the APAC region, Silvia Acién of ACIEN for the UK and Gautam Malik of Jaggery, Ritwik Khanna of RKive City and Chandini Batra of A Blunt Story from India.
The R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, in collaboration with the United Nations, promotes sustainable fashion solutions globally. Finalists from Asia-Pacific, Europe and the UK will showcase their circular fashion innovations at Lakmē Fashion Week in New Delhi. Winners will receive funding, mentorship and industry recognition to advance their sustainable designs.
“At Reliance Industries, we are committed to being a pioneer in sustainability. The R|Elan 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 instil sustainability in fashion reflect our broader goal of creating a circular economy that benefits both the environment and society.” Hemant D Sharma, Sector Head – Polyester, RIL, saying.
“In response 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, the CDC is once again joining forces with our partners across regions to highlight designers and entrepreneurs practising circularity and sustainability in the fashion and textile industries. Together, we are helping to drive innovations in energy efficiency, closed-loop systems and the use of ethically produced materials, ensuring that social and environmental impacts align with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indiasaying.
The R|Elan Circular Design Challenge puts an emphasis on sustainability parameters critical to judging, including products’ biodegradability, durability and multifunctionality. To ensure that social and environmental factors are in line with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the jury evaluates elements such as energy efficiency, closed-loop systems and the use of ethically produced materials, the company said in a press release.
The finalists from APAC, UK and EU will travel to New Delhi, India in October where they, along with the finalists from India, will present their work in front of a prestigious jury at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI. The CDC winner will receive funding worth ₹15 lakh, a CDC trophy and a six-month mentorship programme, along with a standalone showcase at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI in March 2025. The runner-up will receive funding worth ₹5 lakh and mentorship.
The winner and runner-up will be mentored by Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution and creative director of Estethica, and this influential partnership will provide invaluable guidance to the designers.
“Together with R|Elan and the United Nations in India, we have made the Circular Design Challenge India’s largest global prize for sustainability and circular fashion. CDC drives climate action by discovering and mentoring circular fashion designers and innovators, helping them scale and empowering them to make a real impact. Our vision is to transform this platform into a forward-thinking global beacon of excellence, inviting innovative partnerships across the world.” Jaspreet Chandok, Vice President of Reliance Brands Group, which organises Lakme Fashion Week in collaboration with the Fashion Design Council of Indiasaying.
CDC's cross-border partners include the British Council for the UK, Redress for Hong Kong/Asia Pacific and Istituto Marangoni for the European Union.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with the Circular Design Challenge for the second year, joining forces 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 different geographies, as well as facilitating knowledge sharing around alternative fashion systems,” she said. Hannah Robinson, Department of Architecture, Design and Fashion, British Council.
“We are delighted to support 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 towards a circular fashion industry. As Asia is the largest producer and consumer of textiles and apparel in the world, our work is strategically focused on Asia and we are honoured to participate in the Asia-Pacific semi-final of this important initiative that recognises our talented designers of the future.” Dr. Christina Dean, Founder and Chair of the Board of Redresssaying.
“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 fashion-focused educational institutions, our mission is to train the next generation of designers to create a culture of circularity and sustainable fashion and an eco-friendly mindset. Thanks to the previous collaboration of one of our notable fashion design alumni, Rahul Mishra, with Reliance Brands, who supported him due to his strong commitment to sustainability, we are honoured to participate in this year’s edition of CDC with our emerging design alumni who effectively represent this mindset.” Stefania Valenti, general director of the Marangoni Institutesaying.
Fibre2Fashion (RR) Press Desk
