The R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge (RCDC), India’s largest sustainability award for fashion, returned this season at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI. A joint initiative by Reliance Industries Limited and the United Nations in India, the program has been at the forefront of advancing circular design and material innovation since its inception, transforming the way fashion approaches sustainability and systems thinking.

Powered by R|Elan™—the next-generation fabric brand from Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)—the Challenge reflects Reliance’s deep commitment to driving circular economy solutions across textiles and apparel, aligning closely with the company’s long-term vision of achieving net carbon neutrality by 2044. Through RCDC, RIL translates these values into tangible impact—nurturing new-age designers who integrate responsible design, material innovation, and regenerative thinking into viable, future-ready business models.

Mr. Hemant D. Sharma, President – Polyester Business, Reliance Industries Limited, said, “India is uniquely positioned to lead the global dialogue on circular fashion, and the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge is a powerful manifestation of this leadership. By uniting the creativity of a global design community with the science of material innovation, we are not just redefining sustainability for the next generation; we are building a tangible pathway for the industry’s future. This initiative is proving that responsible design and viable business models can, and must, go together.”

A Global Cohort of Finalists

The RCDC 2025 edition proudly announced its global cohort of finalists, following an intensive round of regional jury meets held across India, the UK, EU, and APAC & Beyond.

Representing India are Varshne B (CRCLE), Radhesh Agrahari and Muskaan Sainik (Golden Feathers), and Rishabh Kumar (Farak). From the UK, Italy & Argentina, the finalists are Maximilian Raynor and Martina Boero (Cavia), while Jesica Pullo (BIOTICO). This season saw over 160 applications from 10 countries, reflecting CDC’s expanding reputation as a global accelerator for circular fashion innovation. Designers showcased ideas that combined material science, design intelligence, and social purpose—demonstrating how creative entrepreneurship can drive climate-positive transformation.

The Grand Jury 2025

Kimi Dangor – Fashion journalist, editor, and consultant
Kulsum Shadab Wahab – Philanthropist & Founder, Ara Lumiere
Orsola De Castro – Co-Founder & Creative Director, Estethica; Co-Founder, Fashion Revolution
Payal Jain – Fashion Designer, Textile Artist & Sustainability Crusader
Serge Carreira – Director, Emerging Brands Initiative, Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode
Shombi Sharp – United Nations Resident Coordinator in India

The final jury convened on the 8th October 2025 at the United Nations House in New Delhi, followed by the showcase of winners on 10 October at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI.

The winner Crcle and the runner-up Golden Feathers of the R|Elan TM Circular Design Challenge (CDC) were bestowed with a seed fund of INR 15L & INR 5L respectively, the CDC Trophy, and a 6-month bespoke mentorship with Orsola De Castro and the team at Estethica. Additionally, the winner earned the spotlight with a standalone showcase at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI in March 2026. The R|Elan TM Circular Design Challenge’s global reach is a milestone and a remarkable step towards a more sustainable and circular fashion narrative.

Mentorship as a Catalyst for Circular Thinking

Ahead of the finale, the finalists participated in a three-month mentorship program led by experts such as Karishma Shahani Khan, Pranav Khanna, UNEP and Tamseel Hussain. These sessions deepened the designers’ understanding of circular systems, storytelling, and business strategy, helping them translate purpose into practice and prepare for scale.

Partners in Purpose

The initiative is anchored in two pivotal partnerships: R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge x United Nations in India — advancing Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production through design-led innovation.

R|Elan™, spearheading Reliance Industries Limited’s mission to mainstream sustainable materials, reinforces its ambition to achieve zero environmental damage by 2044 through innovation, recycling, and closed-loop manufacturing.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations in India, Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India, said, “This is the future of fashion where innovation meets creativity and churns out designs with circularity at the core. United Nations has partnered with R|Elan™ since 2018 and I am excited to witness how designers are taking on the environmental challenge.”

Adding to this, Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Limited, said, “At Reliance Brands, we are proud to see the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge evolve into a truly global movement. What began as an idea to spotlight sustainability in fashion has now grown into a platform that brings together innovators, designers, and changemakers from across the world. Each season reaffirms our belief that India can lead the global dialogue on circularity, setting benchmarks and building bridges for the industry. We thank the United Nations in India for their consistent support in the common commitment to continue nurturing talent, scaling ideas, and positioning sustainability not as a niche, but as the future of fashion.”

India’s Role in Fashion’s Circular Future

The R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge 2025 embodies the collective strength of industry, innovation, and international collaboration. With its jury hosted at the United Nations House and its grand showcase on India’s premier fashion platform, Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI, the Challenge stands as a testament to how creativity, science, and systems thinking can redefine the business of fashion.

By uniting global talent and India’s sustainability leadership, CDC continues to build an ecosystem that turns circular design from an idea into an industry.

INDIAN FINALISTS

VARSHNE B – CRCLE

The CRCLE label was launched by Varshne B after graduating from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Chennai. Her collection “Symbiosis” was committed to sustainability, which offered unisex fashion that had a timeless function. Using 100 per cent biodegradable Wegawool from the Calotropis plant fibres, along with banana leather, handmade Korai grass bags, naturally dyed textiles, handwoven khadi denim in kala cotton and repurposed cotton textiles. The collection had a clean-cut silhouette that was precisely structured in earthy colours and stainless-steel scrap accessories with post-consumer fabrics. Championing the use of waste, Varshne has a 360-degree insight when it comes to the use of waste and turning it into useful fashionable attire, which had tags and trims that were reused or recycled. The “Symbiosis” collection from Varshne B for her brand CRCLE projected conscious style luxury that fitted ideally into the Circular design movement.

RISHABH KUMAR – FARAK

Rishabh Kumar, Founder and Creative Director of Farak, launched in 2021, is a Jaipur based streetwear designer who emphasized crafts as well as handspun handwoven organic cotton and natural dyes for his garments. Ensuring there is a minimal carbon footprint for the apparel, each garment had a sustainable base with natural dyes and mud-based techniques that were all wrapped in 100 per cent biodegrade packaging like wood pulp and Kraft paper. “The Alchemies of Earth” collection by Rishabh was inspired by the ancient technique of Matka making. Keeping the inspiration in firm control, the colours moved from deep red to warm brown as the motifs evolved from petals to flames designs. Using Bagru, mud, natural dyes, recycled fabric waste and handloom cotton, Rishabh used wooden blocks with a low energy non mercerized system. Rishabh Kumar’s “The Alchemies of Earth” collection for his Farak brand gave not only life to century old wooden blocks but told a great story of indigenous artisans to the global audience.

RADHESH AGRAHARI & MUSKAN SAINIK– GOLDEN FEATHERS

It was unbelievable how Radhesh Agrahari and Muskan Sainik’s brand Golden Feathers created upcycled Butchery Chicken Waste into the world’s 6th natural woollen fibre. This amazing fibre has been termed as ten times warmer, softer and more durable than the conventional and synthetic versions. The patented 27-step chemical free sanitisation process produced a textile that had wood free paper and a zero-waste process. The brand has so far upcycled 57,000 kgs of chicken feathers annually, reduced carbon footprint by over 7.7 billion kgs and in three years recycled 500 tons of Butchery Chicken Waste (BCW). The “Kora” collection displayed was all about the artistry of surface design along with elegance, flair and flow of the creations. The brand has a large number of tribal workers whose livelihood has been carefully taken care of. The amazing fibre is lightweight, capable of sustaining up to -5-degree Celsius temperature and was turned into stylish stoles, shawls, quilts, jackets, mufflers and handmade papers. The Golden Feathers brand’s “Kora” Collection by Radhesh Agrahari and Muskan Sainik, from National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mohali graduate, who is globally acclaimed for his work, unveiled an unbelievable, unique, innovative concept of the circular design.

UK FINALIST

MAXIMILIAN RAYNOR

The Central Saint Martins graduate Maximilian Rynor has designed clothes that are non-conformist in nature but displayed a great blend of drama, romance and storytelling. Maximilian’s fashion reputation has been formidable, which even ensured that he was the official opening show of the London Fashion Week in September 2025. Maximilian’s collection “The Morning After” featured an inspiration that revolved around the morning after a party. Oversized coats clumsily tied office ties and wildly styled hair was how he visualized his look. The cutting-edge techniques were distinctly visible when the experimental textiles and transformed waste from past collections, was creatively turned into new textiles. Maximilian’s use of dead stock, luxury materials, British wool roll ends and vegan apple leather, which he turned into stylish clothing has earned him celebrity fans like Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan and Ashley Graham. “The Morning After” collection by Maximilian Raynor was a great offering of waste translated into trendy fashion.

EU FINALIST

MARINA BOERO – CAVIA

A graduate of the IED in 2011, Martina Boero started her brand Cavia in 2020. Driven by her love for knitwear, Martina expressed her creativity during the lockdown by designing vintage garments and surplus stocks of fabrics and yarns. Martina’s latest Spring/Summer 2026 line, “Call Me by the Sea” was all about a fascinating punk attitude, which was an impressive blend of fashionable marine codes. The marine directions were evident in the stripes and hats that were seen in the handmade knitwear, body con jersey and very crisp poplin. There was an interesting mix of craftsmanship, along with patchwork poplin that was visualized from scrap fabrics. It was a fun summer wardrobe that had a clever fusion of textures, collages, traditions and some defiant rule breaking styles. Every piece in Martina’s collection was an exclusive one, handcrafted by Italian artisans. The Cavia label’s latest fashion offering had sharp edges and bold contrasts that projected a mélange of fashion directions like knots and material clashes. Marina Boero’s commitment to the planet has been a sincere one ever since she started her brand Cavia and this was very evident in her latest collection “Call Me by the Sea”.

APAC AND BEYOND FINALIST

JESICA PULLO – BIOTICO

The Argentine-Italian fashion brand Biotico launched by Jesica Pullo has championed sustainability and circular fashion with a social impact ever since it was started in 2014. Jesica, a textile artist and fashion designer, graduated from FADU-UBA, but grew up near garbage dumps and the polluted La Salada Stream, which turned into her future driving force and inspiration towards sustainability. Jesica’s brand has transformed flexible plastics from household consumption into socially environmental and educational values, as well as textile art and sustainable fashion. Jesica’s collection “Vinculos” was a modular artisanal line, totally handcrafted. The items were created from post-consumer waste like milk sachets (black and white), snack wrappers (silver), plastic bags, discarded jeans and leather/textiles scraps. “Vinculos”, which means ‘bonds’ in Spanish, was seen in the handmade regenerative approach to fashion. Flexible plastic was transformed into structured wearable items, minus the use of heat, glue or industrial machinery. Jesica’s belief has always been that art and design should heal and care for people and the environment and this she showcased perfectly through her “Vinculos” collection.

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