Redress now accepts 2023 fashion design entrants

The Redress Design Award 2023 is accepting applications from emerging fashion designers around the world, including Thailand.

This is the 13th cycle of the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition that educates and empowers emerging fashion designers about circular design, against the background that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is laid down at the design stage.

Organised by Hong Kong-headquartered, Asia-focused environmental NGO Redress, the educational competition attracts applicants from over 50 countries and enjoys support from over 150 universities globally, with thousands of hopeful designers battling to showcase their innovative design skills on the global stage to get the chance to collaborate with leading fashion businesses. According to Redress, Asia accounts for around 60% of global exports of garments, textiles, and footwear. The equivalent of one rubbish truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second and the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions — more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Headquartered in the heart of Asia, Redress is in a prime position to address the issue of waste within the fashion industry and to build a world in which fashion is circular.

This year, the competition is open to emerging designers and students with less than four years of professional experience, focusing on both womenswear and menswear original collection designs.

This is an opportunity for them to pursue their dreams in the community, be supported in their careers by their fellow designers and forge friendships along the way.

Online applications can be made until March 16. Ten finalists will be announced on May 10 and they will go to Hong Kong in September for the Grand Final Week activities.

Those who make it to the semi-finals or beyond will join the Redress Design Award Alumni Network, a community offering various career enhancement opportunities in sustainable design, with alumni achievements including fashion weeks, brand collaborations and more.

There are multiple prizes on offer, with a development fund pot of HK$80,000 (340,000 baht) to be distributed among the highest-scoring finalists. All finalists and semi-finalists will receive educational and career-enhancing prizes.