All the 2024 Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards finalists
The list of 29 category finalists for the 2024 Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards has finally been announced. These trailblazers are reshaping fashion with sustainable and ethical innovation across categories like Accessories, Footwear, Farm-to-Fashion, and the re-introduced Student Award.
Design by Ilkhe du Toit. Image supplied
The annual awards programme honours the minds who are making an impact through their design expertise, technical innovation and business excellence, and the finalists are acknowledged for their contribution.
And the finalists are...
The Student Award
The Student Award honours a rising designer who defies traditional fashion boundaries, using innovative approaches to tackle environmental and social issues.
Emerging Designer Award presented by H&M South Africa
An emerging designer challenging the established norms of the fashion industry is the recipient of this award. Flipping the script to engage with environmental and social responsibilities, the winner’s bold innovations allow them to stand out from the crowd.
Accessory Award
Crafting accessories from sustainable materials, favouring ethical labour practices and limiting the use of toxic chemicals, the Accessories Award winner is a disruptor making a lasting impact on this sector of the fashion industry.
Footwear Award
Quality, durable footwear made with sustainable materials, ethical labour practices, and limited toxic chemicals: this winner is a brand, cobbler or designer producing ethically-made shoes.
Trans-seasonal Design Award presented by COUNTRY ROAD
Durable designs made to transcend seasons and trends, this award-winner’s product range is versatile, multi-functional, and produced in a slow cycle.
Farm-to-Fashion Award
Transparent and traceable supply chains, regenerative practices, and 100% natural fabric is behind this designer or brand’s fossil-free materials and processes. Production requires little to no toxins and harmful chemicals.
Nicholas Coutts Artisanal Fashion Award
Focusing on artisanal fashion items that highlight, celebrate and value the prowess of garment workers and local communities, this brand is known for its community impact in honour of the late designer Nicolas Coutts, who incorporated traditional crafts and techniques in his designs.
Retail Award
Championing the circular economy through swap shops, selling pre-loved clothing, garment rental and other innovations, this winner is known for supporting sustainable design and manufacturing and supporting local producers and supply chains.
Tastemaker Award
Awarded to a photographer, stylist, influencer or content creator using their platform to promote slow sustainable fashion, the winner will have sparked crucial conversations over the past year.
Innovative Design and Materials Award presented by POLO South Africa
This award seeks to recognise a designer of clothes and/or textiles who is pioneering sustainable practices or technologies. For instance, this designer could be using creative pattern-making, introducing new technologies, innovating new business models, applying reconstruction techniques, innovating new materials and techniques, or returning to old, sustainable and cultural practices. The purpose of this category is to highlight and reward those who are pushing boundaries and leading the charge in reimagining what fashion can be.
The Changemaker Award presented by Markham
An overall winner honoured for their high scores in each design category, the recipient of the Changemaker Award recognises a designer embracing sustainable and circular practices in their work. The winner receives a grand prize of R100,000 to further their career.
Says Twyg founder Jackie May: ‘There are some new and exciting names in the mix this year and we congratulate all our very deserving finalists! We’d also like to extend our sincere gratitude to our sponsors and partners for their invaluable support – without them, this annual project would not be possible. A heartfelt thank you to Markham, Country Road, H&M South Africa, Polo South Africa,Husqvarna and Royal Flush Gin for their partnerships and commitment to making this initiative a success.’
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 20 November 2024 at Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel in Cape Town.
