Australian fashion designer Molly Ryan has joined 29 other sustainable designers as semi-finalists in the Redress Design Award 2023.
Ryan is also the co-founder of Fibre Economy - a social enterprise that aims to reduce textile waste.
The global competition, based in Hong Kong, highlights emerging fashion designers who are implementing sustainable design techniques. Its 2023 round received applications from 46 countries and regions.
Redress said the resulting submissions involved unique waste streams, including electronic, sofa upholstery and umbrellas.
In her 2023 submission, Ryan said her collection ‘Cloth: Narratives’ is inspired by stories embedded within used textiles. It incorporates repurposed bedsheets, dyed with organic kitchen waste and screen printed with natural handmade inks. The garments are reversible and can be worn trans-seasonally.
"I see myself as part of a groundswell of up-and-coming designers who [see] the exciting possibilities that arise from working with the anonymous detritus of material culture,” Ryan said.
The next step in the competition involves a global public vote, closing May 5. The designer with the most votes secures a spot among ten finalists, who will all join an expenses-paid educational trip to Hong Kong in September to showcase their collection in person at the Grand Final Fashion Show.
Each Finalist will also receive a digital book on sustainable fashion from Bloomsbury Publishing, and the winner will receive a lock-stitch machine and an over-lock sewing machine from JUKI, a design collaboration opportunity with American fashion company Timberland, and a HK$50,000 (AUD$9597.25) development fund.
Redress founder and board chair Christina Dean said consumers must be part of the sustainability conversations.
“For too long, the production side of the fashion industry has been working solo,” Dean said. “We see progress in the industry, but for sustainability in fashion to take off, consumers must be excited and participating. That’s why public voting is so important.”
Previous winner and this year’s competition judge Kévin Germanier echoed Dean’s comments.
“Sustainability has entered the mainstream fashion industry, which I’ve seen while showing at Paris Fashion Week. But we need progress to move faster.
“That’s why I’m so excited to see the fresh ideas from the next generation of circular design talents.”