H&M Foundation, the non-profit foundation owned by the Swedish fast-fashion giant, have launched their third annual Global Change Award. The award has lofty aims – to protect the environment, foster process innovation and shift the linear fashion cycle into a circular model. Every year there are five winners, who share a one million Euro grant, as well as a year-long innovation accelerator programme which provides individualised support and unrivalled access to the fashion industry, as well as trips to Stockholm, New York and Shanghai. It’s a highly sought after prize, and the previous year saw over 2,800 applicants submit their innovations in hopes of being part of the top five.
The Global Change Award is the first award of this type in the fashion industry. Previous winning innovations include leather made from wine manufacture byproducts, digital threads woven into fabrics in order to speed the recycling process. The expert judging panel are made up of influential, experienced figures from within manufacturing, design and fashion. Entries for the third annual Global Change Award are open now until 31 October 2017.
