You can apply if you meet all of the following criteria:

• Aged 18 years or over as of application closing date of 16 March 2023.

• Hold a valid ID/passport/visa/residence permit in your country of residence.

• Have less than four years’ professional fashion design experience* at the time of application.

• Have a reasonable level of English to be able to take part in activities conducted in English*

• Are applying as an individual (group applications are not permitted).

 *see the FAQ page and the Terms and Conditions page for details

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LET’S CUT WASTE FROM FASHION

You are challenged to design a contemporary collection for a modern, fashion-forward adult who is concerned about the environment and actively seeks comfort and style whether in the city or exploring the big outdoors.

Your collection will rescue textile waste, repurposing these through circular design techniques, while reimagining fashion, which will likely influence your creativity and processes.

TO WIN, YOU MUST:

• Design three ready-to-wear outfit sketches for your application using waste textiles. (Finished outfits are not necessary at this stage.)

• Impress the judges. For the open application and semi-final judging, your designs will be scored in three categories; creativity and originality, sustainability, marketability. Our judges will be looking for evidence of circular design thinking. This means from sourcing your materials to pattern design, creation, consideration of the user, and disposal after use, you must have a clear understanding of the environmental impacts of your creations and will have explored solutions through the design of your collection. You should be reflective and critical and able to clearly explain your decision making at each step of creating your sustainable collection.

• If you are successful in becoming a finalist, you must create those same three ready-to-wear sketches from the open application into finished physical garments, along with designing and creating one more showpiece outfit. You will also need to design one ready-to-wear outfit that will be created virtually for the Grand Final Fashion Presentation, with the support of Redress. For Grand Final judging, the additional category of workmanship will be added when the judges can touch, feel and see your collection to assess your skills.

ALL DESIGNS MUST SHOW EVIDENCE OF:

• Use of all four circular design strategies: Design for Low Waste, Design for Low-impact Materials and Processes, Design for Longevity and Design for Recyclability

• Use waste textiles in reproducible and impactful ways with preference shown for scalable waste sources

• Reflection of opportunities for reproducibility, scalability and marketability

SOURCING WASTE TEXTILES FOR CIRCULAR DESIGN GUIDELINES

At Redress we believe in the power of designers - you can help unlock the value of waste! Circular design thinking and circular design strategies are key to lessening the environmental impact of your designs. You are challenged to find creative solutions for fashion’s waste, and your choice of textiles is a key step in designing for circularity. The information below will help provide some guidance in how to identify and source waste textiles.

All of your designs must use textile waste and/or textiles created from waste. For the purpose of the competition we categorise the two as:

• TEXTILE WASTE: textile swatches, cut-and-sew textiles, end-of-rolls, sampling yardage, damaged textiles, unsold clothing, clothing samples, secondhand clothing, secondhand textiles.

• TEXTILE CREATED FROM WASTE: textile made from regenerated fibres, with a minimum of 50% of regenerated content in fabric composition. It includes for example, recycled cotton, recycled wool, food industry by-products or reclaimed plastic.

When sourcing for your collection, consider your choice of textile:

• Waste - how much positive impact are you creating through your choice of materials? What would have happened to the materials if you have not used them?

• Low environmental impact - are the textiles produced with processes that do not use or release harmful chemicals, textiles with qualities of durability, low/zero release of chemicals or micro plastics during washing, and that are biodegradable or recyclable?

• Transparency - are your textiles from sources that can be traced from each stage of their production?

• Ethical production - are your textiles produced with consideration for their social impact and for animal welfare?

To learn more about textile sourcing, head to the Redress Academy to read the Waste Textile Sourcing Guide.

When designing your collection, you will have to apply the Design for Low Waste strategy. Each sustainable design technique of this strategy calls for different textile sources. A photo and information about the type and source of the textile used must be submitted during your application. Here is a quick guide:

To further deepen your understanding of the circular fashion system and maximise your chances of success in the competition, we strongly recommend you take the Redress Design Award Pathway Course including the new module “Fibre Choices and Sustainability”, which will support you through your design decision-making process for your competition submission. You can also head to the Redress Academy to supplement your learning.

If you are a student, we also encourage you to ask your educators to use the Redress Sustainable Fashion Educator Pack. This free pack includes classroom presentations and activities with detailed information on the garment life cycle, garment longevity, fibres and design methods which will provide additional learning on circular design.

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To apply to the Redress Design Award, you must fill in an online application by 16 March 2023. Below is a summary of the application design requirements for the competition. Download a handy checklist here.

You must submit:

• Three photos of recent original finished garments from your portfolio to demonstrate your skills and experience as a fashion designer.

• One mood board illustrating the concept, inspiration and colour-theme of your collection.

• Three ready-to-wear outfit illustrations with technical drawings (minimum front side). The outfits #1 and #2 will need to fit model Size A (sample size) and the outfit #3 will need to fit model Size B (larger size). You are not required to make any outfits at the open application stage; more details about measurement charts will be shared if you are selected at the finalist stage.

• Information about your zero-waste technique, if applicable to your design. Applicants are required to provide exact pattern measurements.

• Information about your textile selection for your three outfits including the type of fibre, textile and source of origin must be provided. Applicants are required to provide photo evidence of the original textile source before cutting or alteration in order to prove such textiles are available for use.

• Answers to the eight questions about your collection, your circular design strategies and your aspirations as a sustainable designer.

Your collection must comply with the following guidelines:

• The concept of your collection should incorporate ALL four of the Redress core circular design strategies (Design for Low Waste, Design for Low-impact Materials and Processes, Design for Longevity, and Design for Recyclability). This can be reflected in your choice of materials, trims, patterns and construction, etc.

• All of your designs must use textile waste and/or textiles created from waste.

• All submitted artwork must be your original creations and must not have been shown in public or any social media.

• No changes to artworks or your textile selections are permitted after submission unless with prior approval from Redress.

• Redress reserves the right to refuse any vulgar, offensive and/or inappropriate outfits. Shoes and accessories are not required to be designed but you will need to provide shoes for your collection if you reach the final.

Create an account on the competition application platform to begin your online application for the Redress Design Award 2023. When submitting your application:

• ALL questions must be filled out in English or Chinese. No other languages will be accepted.

  Each photo submitted as part of your application must have a file size of less than 1MB and in .jpg or .png format (we recommend the photos’ pixels per inch (ppi) should not exceed 72 ppi).

  The deadline for applications is Thursday 16 March 2023 at 15:00 Hong Kong Time (UTC+8). Please note that you will NOT be able to amend your application including your artwork and textile waste selections once submitted. Any applications received after the competition deadline may not be accepted. After submitting your application, you will receive an email confirmation.

Following submission, the Redress team may contact applicants for further information, such as verification of professional experience and eligibility. Applicants can be disqualified at any time for failing to meet the ‘Terms and Conditions of Entry’ and any other reasons determined by Redress.

The online application form is divided into ten sections and the following information outlines the topline requirements of each section. We strongly advise you to create an account as soon as possible in order to fully understand the exact information required for submission.

1. ELIGIBILITY
   Confirm that you are eligible to enter the competition
   

2. PERSONAL INFORMATION
   Fill in your personal information so that we can contact you
   

3. EDUCATION
   Fill in the details about your education, starting with the most recent qualification
   

4. WORKING EXPERIENCE
   Fill in the details about your relevant work experience, starting with the most recent experience
   

5. PORTFOLIO
   Upload three photos of your most recent, original finished garments from your portfolio (regardless of whether these are sustainable or not)
   

6. COMPETITION DESIGNS
   Upload the following:
   - One mood board

   - Three ready-to-wear outfit illustrations with technical drawings (minimum front side): two outfits for models Size A (sample size) and one outfit for model Size B (larger size)

   - Details about the sustainable design techniques you have used
   

7. ZERO-WASTE TECHNIQUE
   Explain your approach to zero-waste technique, if applicable
   

8. TEXTILE SOURCING
   Information about your ‘waste’ textile selection/source
   

9. STATEMENTS
   Write eight brief statements in response to our questions about your collection which include your circular design strategies, and aspirations as a sustainable designer
   

10. CONFIRMATION
    Confirm that all the information you have entered in the application form is correct and original
    

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Key dates and milestones can be found on our SCHEDULE page here.

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After the competition deadline of 16 March 2023, the top 30 applicants to go through to the semi-final rounds will be selected. The Redress team will notify the 30 semi-finalists of their success individually before public announcement. Among the 30 semi-finalists, there will be two guaranteed spots for Hong Kong applicants. Semi-finalists will be publicly announced on the www.redressdesignaward.com website on 19 April 2023. All 30 semi-finalists will win educational and career-enhancing prizes, details of which can be found here.

During the same period, six Rising Talents designers will be selected, with one guaranteed spot for a Hong Kong applicant. The Rising Talents programme is created for designers who have not been selected as semi-finalists but show great potential to grow into sustainable designers. The Redress team will also notify the six designers individually before the public announcement on 19 April 2023. All six Rising Talents will win educational and career-enhancing prizes, details of which can be found here.

At this stage, we will also turn to the general public to cast a vote online for their favourite semi-finalist who will win the People’s Choice Award. The winner of this award will be announced on 10 May 2023 and will be guaranteed a spot as one of the 10 finalists. Find more information here on our FAQ page.

Following the semi-finalists announcement, the judging panel will assess and further shortlist the 30 applications down to the final nine who will join the People’s Choice winner.

After the judges’ assessment, the Redress team will directly notify the 10 finalists, who will be publicly announced on www.redressdesignaward.com on 10 May 2023. Amongst the 10 finalists, there will also be one guaranteed spot for a Hong Kong applicant.

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FINAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
If you are shortlisted as a finalist , your collection will be shown in the grand final. You will be briefed further about the final design requirements upon notification of success. However, as a brief summary:

Finalists of the Redress Design Award 2023 will present a five-outfit sustainable collection formed of:

• Three ready-to-wear outfits based on the online application: finalists will turn their three submitted illustrations into complete outfits (Outfits #1 and #2 for models Size A, outfit #3 for model Size B). No changes to artworks or textile selections are permitted unless with prior approval from Redress. More details about size and measurements will be shared at the time that finalists are announced.

• One additional ready-to-wear outfit: finalists will design one additional outfit based on the mood board submitted in their application. This outfit will be made virtually (via 3D modelling) with the support of Redress. More details (execution, size) will be shared at the time that finalists are announced.

• One showpiece outfit: finalists will also be required to create one complete showpiece outfit (model Size A) based on the mood board submitted in their application.

The competition design brief requirements for the finalists additional two outfits (both ready-to-wear and showpiece outfits) are the same as for the initial three in the application. This means that a finalist’s entire five outfit collection must:

• Be created using circular design thinking - specifically Redress’ four core design strategies.

• Made using textile waste or with textiles made from waste.

• Original creations by the finalist (both artwork and outfits) and not have been seen in public or social media previously.

• Have been made and sewn by the finalists themselves (for the four physical creations).

FINALIST TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Prior to the announcement of the finalists on www.redressdesignaward.com, all ten finalists are required to sign an agreement with Redress stating their agreement to the dates, schedules and final terms. In brief, this agreement will require applicants to confirm that they are able to:

• Visit Hong Kong for approximately two weeks in late August / early September 2023 (exact dates and details TBC, pending travel restrictions due to the global Covid-19 pandemic) and must attend the Grand Final Fashion Presentation, seminars, workshops and all other events organised by Redress during the trip (travel, accommodation and meal costs covered by Redress).

• Send two work-in-progress reports for their competition collection by the deadline of 14 June 2023 and 5 July 2023. This is to ensure that the designer’s competition collection is produced in a timely manner and to a high quality and standard.

• Send their completed competition collection to Hong Kong by 12 July 2023 (courier costs will be covered by Redress).

• Accept the prize schedules and be available to fulfil the terms of the prize in the event that they win.

• Agree to be filmed throughout the experience for inclusion in Redress’ documentary series, Frontline Fashion and other summary videos.

• Create a video(s) that may be integrated into Redress’ published video content and/or for marketing purposes.

Finalists can be disqualified by Redress at our final discretion at any time for failing to meet the terms in the signed agreement and any other reasons as determined by Redress.

Find the full version of the Terms and Conditions here.

Following their runway victory, the Redress Design Award first prize winner will join VF’s Timberland team to collaborate on a design project. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with the VF Corporation Sustainability & Responsibility team to ensure that materials and design strategies maximise sustainability, and will gain exciting insights from across the supply chain from sourcing to product development, while deepening their skills and understanding around sustainable production and marketing.

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Please head to our FAQ page – your question may already have an answer! Otherwise, please email us at apply@redress.com.hk