Redress, an environmental NGO dedicated to reducing fashion waste, announced today the ten finalists for the Redress Design Award 2022, the world's largest sustainable fashion design competition, which is supported as the lead sponsor by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The finalists, chosen by an international panel of industry-leading judges from eight different areas across the world, will bring their competition ideas to life in time for the Grand Final Fashion Presentation in Hong Kong in mid-September when the winners will be revealed. Textile waste is a global environmental and economic challenge, with more than half of fast-fashion clothing being thrown within a year. Designing sustainable fashion necessitates a blend of creativity and innovation, as well as consideration for the source material, the impact of production and consumption, and the recyclability of items at the end of their life cycle.

Hotel bed linens, kimono and obi silks, and broken deadstock knitted collars were among the waste streams used by this year's finalists to construct their ensembles. Many of the finalists also used zero-waste patterns and other circular design strategies to make their designs more sustainable. Redress Design Award participants' educational journey also paid off, as three of its graduates – past semi-finalists – reapplied this year, winning positions as finalists.

Angus Tsui, one of the judges, who is also Creative Director of his eponymous brand and an alumnus of the Redress Design Award, said that the finalists have demonstrated new color, shape, and style elements while embracing sustainable approaches. They can certainly see the next-gen game-changers pushing for a brighter future. The top finalists will receive career-changing awards, including a sustainable design partnership with VF Corporation's Timberland team and a development fund of HK$50,000 (US$6,400) for the first prize winner.

Nissa Cornish, Executive Director of Redress, said that as the fashion industry emerges from the aftermath of the pandemic, there is a renewed feeling of urgency and dedication to sustainable manufacturing. These forward-thinking designers are part of a movement in redefining how they manufacture and use clothes, and it is an honor to support and display their abilities. To become finalists, the 10 designers were assessed on factors such as marketability and scalability, in addition to sustainability and originality, with international judge Orsola de Castro, fashion designer and co-founder of Fashion Revolution, commenting that, "When you combine great hand finishing with a purposefully repurposed product, it can look stunning!"

Another judge, Christophe Degoix, Chief Operating Officer of TAL Garment, said that promoting sustainable goods are crucial to the future of the apparel industry, and those young designers throughout the world are leading the way. The ten finalists will then bring their finished collections — four physical outfits and one digital outfit — to Hong Kong for a professional photograph, with the items safely transported via UPS' carbon neutral shipping. In the run-up to the Grand Final Fashion Show, the designers will also demonstrate their zero-waste and upcycling abilities through practical challenges set by industry professionals.

The Redress Design Award 2022 Finalists are: Ashutosh Panda, India; Cris Miranda, Chile; Drina Marco, Spain; Federico Badini Confalonieri, Italy; Lívia Aguiar de Castro, Brazil; Micaela Clubourg, Spain; Mohammed Numaan Khan, India; Nawoda Bandara, Sri Lanka; Patrick Lam, Hong Kong, China; and Ruwanthi Gajadeera, Sri Lanka.