The applications are open for the world's largest sustainable fashion design competition, the Redress Design Award until March 15 for the 2021 cycle. This Hong Kong-based award is open to young designers with less than 4 years of professional experience from across the world and challenges them to showcase innovation, sustainable, and textile waste-reducing designs. This competition is organised by environmental charity Redress and is sponsored by the Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

For its 11th year, the first-prize winner will receive 50,000 Hong Kong dollars ($6,400) as development funding along with a high-performance lockstitch machine and an overlock sewing machine from Juki. They will also get an opportunity to join Timberland for a design collaboration that will include working closely with sustainable sourcing, product development, production and marketing experts from within Timberland’s parent company, VF Corporation.

The Runner-up will receive a mentorship with Orsola de Castro who is a sustainable fashion designer and competition judge and they, along with the ‘Hong Kong Best’ category winner will also receive 15,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,900) and a sewing machine from Juki.

The Timberland prize partnership is a part of a long-term strategic relationship between the Redress Design Award and VF. And 2021 marks the third year that the brand has been involved with the competition.

Christina Dean Redress founder said that as a key partner, they feel thrilled to welcome VF again to this year's Redress Design Award. The core of their partnership is their shared vision with VF and Timberland of reducing the negative impact of the fashion industry.

30 semi-finalists will be announced on April 22, followed by 10 finalists on May 13. In early September at a live-streamed show, the finalists will show their collections in Hong Kong, where the winners will be announced.

The judging panel of this year includes Angus Tsui, creative director, and alumnus, Redress Design Award; Kriti Tula, co-founder and creative director of Doodlage; Desiree Au, founding publisher of Vogue Hong Kong; and Orsola de Castro, fashion designer, co-founder of Estethica and co-founder of Fashion Revolution.