According to an article published by FashionUnited UK, German designer Jon Liesenfeld is said to have won the top prize of the Redress Design Award 2026, a competition organised by Redress, an environmental ONG based in Hong Kong. The competition was held on 7 September at Centrestage, in Hong Kong.
Jon Liesenfeld is said to have been selected among eight international finalist designers, representing Hong Kong, mainland Chine, the Royaume-Uni, Autriche and Israël. For his winning collection, he would receive an educational mentorship trip to inspect British fashion operations, including high-volume supplier Simple Approach and luxury house Roksanda.
Autres winners and industry collaboration
Hong Kong designer Jasmine Cheuk is said to have taken second place, earning a mentorship with industry campaigner Orsola de Castro. Tal Zohar, an Israeli designer, is reported to have received the public vote.
The finalists also collaborated with garment manufacturer TAL Apparel on the re-engineering of post-consumer clothing waste into retail-ready pieces. These pieces would be distributed through retailer D-mop, as part of the « Remake to Retail » project.
An industry under regulatory pressure
The competition highlights figures that shape the debate on sustainable design: around 80% of a product's environmental impact is said to be determined at the initial design stage, according to data cited by FashionUnited UK. Global textile waste is said to reach 120 million tonnes a year, against a global textile circularity rate of just 0.3%.
Since its creation, the Redress Design Award is said to have trained more than 36,500 designers and educators. At the same time, regulatory measures such as the European regulation on ecodesign for sustainable products and extended producer responsibility laws are increasing pressure on brands to adapt their operating models.
