This year’s Redress Design Award challenged designers to rethink waste at the design stage, with participants creating fashion collections from discarded materials.
German designer Jon Liesenfeld won the top prize at the competition’s runway finale at Centrestage in Hong Kong, where finalists presented collections created using various design techniques and materials, including factory surplus, discarded garments, excess new stock, and furnishings waste.
“My generation of designers won’t be judged just on aesthetics,” said Liesenfeld.
“We must understand circularity – durability, repairability, and recyclability – from the drawing board to fill the racks with what more consumers hope to buy.”
Liesenfeld competed against seven finalists from Hong Kong, Mainland China, the UK, Germany, Austria, and Israel.
The award is supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), which has served as lead sponsor for 14 consecutive years.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, around 120 million tonnes of textile waste are generated globally each year, with about 80 per cent ending up in landfill or being incinerated. Redress estimates that the global textile industry is only 0.3 per cent circular.
“Whilst the fashion industry faces serious challenges – from geopolitical pressures and inflation to complex global supply chains and incoming legislation – it is catastrophically still on its wasteful, runaway trainwreck,” said Dr Christina Dean, founder of Redress.
“Circularity is flat-lining while clothing waste continues to soar, exacerbated by the global dominance of ultra-fast fashion.”
Hong Kong designer Jasmine Cheuk was named runner-up and also received the Hong Kong Best prize. She will be mentored by British fashion activist and competition judge Orsola de Castro, who has worked with Redress Design Award winners for the past decade.
As part of the prize, Liesenfeld will join an educational programme with British fashion businesses, including apparel manufacturer Simple Approach, which produces around 50 million garments annually for brands including Primark and Next, and luxury womenswear label Roksanda.
CCIDA commissioner Drew Lai said the awards helped build a community that turns circularity into commercially viable businesses.
“We now have more than 350 alumni across over 40 regions, many of whom have transformed circular design principles into thriving businesses,” Lai said.
Among them is Kevin Germanier, who closed Paris Couture Week this year with a collection made entirely from excess inventory supplied by LVMH-owned brands. Other alums, including Angus Tsui and Eric Wong, have partnered with DHL to transform retired courier uniforms into accessories.
