How To Enter the Future Fashion Now Competition By WeDesign For Fashion Designers

WeDesign in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN has launched the Future Fashion Now competition.

Future Fashion Now is a global, sustainable design competition that enables entrants to rethink how the fashion industry works. The competition which was inspired by Make Fashion Circular and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goalsos set to engage students, designers, fashion weeks and the global fashion industry to design a sustainable outfit or accessory to inspire the future of fashion.

Seeing as the resources used to make clothes in fashion industry ultimately end up as waste, there is a need to have a circular economy where fashion, shoes, clothes,  accessories are used more and made from safe and renewable materials.

“The industry is producing twice the amount of clothes than it was in the early 2000s and at the same time we are wearing our clothes less and less,” the Foundation said in a statement. “Almost 75% of all clothes are landfilled or burned, with only 1% being recycled into new clothes.”

Competition Details

​​​​All competition entries should embrace circularity and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals whilst still maintaining a product that will look and feel good. The item needs to reflect the times we live in, the fashion industry we need, and the future we want to see.

Who Can Send In Entries?

Entries can be sent in by anyone globally whether or not the individual has a formal background in design. There will be the:

• High School Prize.
• College Prize.
• Designer Prize.

For the High School and College Prizes, no formal background in design is required.

Submission Guidelines

1. The solution should be cool, desirable, and attractive to customers.

2. The entries should be innovative and creative.

3. Entries should embrace the 3 principles of a circular economy;

• Design out waste and pollution.
• Keep products and their materials in use.
• Regenerate natural systems.

4. Entries should embrace the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

5. Entries should reflect a systemic approach to the challenge. The challenge is about going further than simply introducing recycled material in the garment composition or making a garment more durable.

It is about building a successful fashion system that doesn’t use resources up. A system that is regenerative and restorative by design, and reflects the times we live in, the fashion industry we need, and the future we want to see.

6. Reflect the current crisis reset.

Submission Requirements

Each entry must take the form of a 3-page PDF. Entries MUST include the following:

Page 1:

The Design. This can be a sketch or a photograph. It should be clear and well presented, it must show the important details of the design. It can include various angles and views. Make sure this looks great.

Page 2:

The Technical Details of the design and the system to create it. Production details, materials, functions, all other relevant details. Can be sketches, photographs, notes, etc.

Page 3:

500 word Written Statement of Intent in English. The statement of intent includes:

• Why did you design this? 
• What are you saying with it? 
• What are you hoping to change about the industry with your design?

All entries MUST be submitted by 30th of September. 

Competition Prizes

Prizes for competition include;

• Cash prizes for all levels.
• Free training programs in Sustainable Fashion.
• Career and education Mentorship prizes. 
• Worldwide Media exposure.
• Review and give feedback via expert judges.
• Invitation to Huge offline event (Global Fashion Week Salons, Greenext Conference).
• Preferential access to WeDesign programs.

The competition will be judged by a panel of fashion and sustainability experts, including the Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular Lead – Francois Souchet.

Find out more at wedesign.org.