Redress Design Award 2026 Puts Circularity at the Heart of Fashion Design
The Redress Design Award 2026 challenged emerging designers to address fashion waste at the design stage, creating collections from discarded and surplus materials, including factory leftovers, unwanted garments, excess new stock, and furnishings waste. German designer Jon Liesenfeld won the top prize at the competition’s runway finale at CENTRESTAGE in Hong Kong, with a collection exploring youth, generational relationships and the stories held within clothing. Hong Kong designer Jasmine Cheuk was named runner-up and also received the Hong Kong Best prize.
The award comes as the fashion industry faces a growing waste challenge, with around 120 million tonnes of textile waste generated each year globally, according to the UN Environment Programme. Redress estimates that only 0.3% of the global textile industry is currently circular. Liesenfeld will travel to the UK for a week-long programme featuring studio visits and industry experiences, including an upcycling project with luxury womenswear brand Roksanda and a visit to apparel manufacturer Simple Approach. With more than 350 alumni across over 40 regions, the Redress Design Award continues to position circular design as both a creative discipline and a pathway toward commercially viable fashion businesses.
