VF Corp & Redress award Italian designer in circular fashion contest

American global apparel company VF Corporation and Hong Kong-based environmental NGO Redress have announced Italy’s Federico Badini Confalonieri as the 2022 winner of the Redress Design Award, the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition.

Confalonieri will gain the opportunity to work with VF’s Timberland team and collaborate on a special sustainable design project that advances the brand’s vision for a greener future, according to a press release by VF Corporation.

Confalonieri impressed the judges with his collection, ‘Micro - Rain’, which uses zero-waste techniques to upcycle waste fabrics from his previous collections, and draws attention to the issue of microplastics in the fashion industry, with garments made with synthetic fabrics that have an incorporated filter fabric to retain pollution.

“This prize is about more than winning a competition,” said Confalonieri. “It will give me even more energy and determination to work towards building together a more sustainable fashion industry. I am humbled that the jury selected me among such skilled designers! We sustainable designers may have competed, but the reality is that collaboration creates greater fashion. To partner with one of the world’s most iconic brands, Timberland, is a huge opportunity for me, and I look forward to creating a positive and powerful project together.”

Confalonieri is expected to gain valuable insights on the VF supply chain from sourcing to product development, while deepening their skills and understanding around sustainable production and marketing.

“Creating sustainable circular designs is crucial to VF’s mission of bettering both people and the planet. Therefore, we want to equip talented next-generation designers with the tools and experience needed to further develop innovative circular solutions,” said Sean Cady, VF’s vice president, global sustainability and responsibility, who served as a judge for the second year running. “The Redress Design Award offers an amazing opportunity for emerging talent to work with our global teams and grow as a sustainable designer.”

After receiving over 450 entries from 47 countries and regions, the competition was narrowed down to nine finalists from Italy, Spain, Chile, Brazil, Hong Kong SAR, India, and Sri Lanka before the winner was announced at the Grand Final Fashion Presentation, where the designers showcased their circular fashion pieces.

As part of the Redress Design Award learning experience, the finalists participated virtually in the icebreaker ‘Move to Natural’ challenge on September 2, 2022, where they were tasked with designing a solution for a 100 per cent natural fibre product that aims to re-use textile waste from the icebreaker supply chain — from sheep to shirt. This year, the challenge was also extended to fashion and textile students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University who worked with the finalists to create their design ideas, diversifying the teams’ strengths and further educating upcoming designers on the endless possibilities of sustainable design.

The competition concluded with the Grand Final Fashion Presentation on September 7, 2022, at ArtisTree Hong Kong, with each finalist showcasing their collection to an exclusive in-person audience, added the release.

“The need for sustainable design education has never been more critical,” said Christina Dean, Founder of Redress. “Education is not easy to deliver, yet VF Corporation, and more recently The VF Foundation, has supported Redress in delivering education for several years, opening their hallowed design studios and experts’ calendars for extensive educational support. This speaks of the authentic heart that drives the business. We encourage more companies to follow the purpose-driving motto, and, critically, continue to push forward even when the going gets tough.”