Fashion Week Introduces Circular Design Prize — Submissions Open Now
NEW YORK, November 20, 2025 — Fashion Week International announced today the launch of its inaugural Circular Design Prize, a global competition awarding $100,000 to fashion designers and brands pioneering circular economy solutions. Submissions open immediately with a deadline of January 15, 2026, inviting applications from emerging and established designers worldwide.
The prize responds to mounting evidence that the fashion industry’s environmental crisis requires immediate systemic intervention. The sustainable fashion market is projected to grow from $12.46 billion in 2025 to $53.37 billion by 2030, yet the industry’s carbon emissions rose 7.5% in 2023—the first increase since tracking began in 2019. According to a recent Forbes analysis, ultra-fast fashion brands have driven this surge, with fossil fuel-based polyester now representing 57% of global fiber production . The Circular Design Prize aims to counter this trend by supporting scalable, regenerative design methodologies that eliminate waste and pollution from the outset.
“Circular design isn’t a niche concept anymore—it’s an industry imperative,” said Fashion Week International CEO Helena Rodriguez. “This prize recognizes that the most impactful sustainability interventions happen at the design stage, where decisions about materials, construction, and end-of-life determine a garment’s entire environmental footprint. We’re looking for designers who treat circularity as a creative constraint, not a limitation.”
The competition features three categories: Regenerative Materials Innovation ($40,000), recognizing breakthroughs in biodegradable, recycled, or renewable inputs; Design for Disassembly ($35,000), honoring modular construction that enables garment repair, remanufacturing, and fiber-to-fiber recycling; and Circular Business Models ($25,000), supporting rental, resale, and digital fashion platforms that extend product lifecycles. Winners will showcase their collections during the Fall/Winter 2027 Fashion Week season and receive mentorship from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s fashion initiative.
Submissions require a complete collection of 6-10 pieces, technical specifications demonstrating circular principles, a sustainability charter compliance declaration, and a five-year scalability plan. Applicants must be registered businesses employing fewer than 50 people and cannot have received over €300,000 in de minimis grants within three years. International designers are eligible, with visa and logistics support provided for finalists.
A jury chaired by industry leader Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability Officer at Kering, will evaluate entries based on material innovation, design excellence, commercial viability, and measurable impact potential. The selection process includes initial review (January 2026), finalist workshop (February 2026), and winner announcement at the Spring/Summer 2027 Fashion Week opening ceremony. Non-monetary awards include manufacturing partnerships with certified circular facilities and retail placement in premium sustainable fashion marketplaces.
The initiative arrives as regulatory pressure intensifies globally. The European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will mandate circular design standards by 2026, while California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act requires producer responsibility for textile waste. Prize organizers emphasize that circular design represents both compliance readiness and competitive advantage in rapidly evolving markets.
About Fashion Week International
Fashion Week International is the global organizing body for premier fashion weeks in New York, Paris, Milan, and London, representing over 5,000 designers and 1,200 brands. Established in 1943, the organization advances creative excellence while driving industry-wide sustainability transformation. Through its Circular Fashion Council, Fashion Week International collaborates with policymakers, manufacturers, and retail partners to scale regenerative practices across the $2.5 trillion global fashion ecosystem.
Media Contact:
Sarha Al-Mansoori
Director of Corporate Communications
G42
Email: media@g42.ai
Phone: +971 2555 0100
Website:www.g42.ai
