The R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (RCDC) 2025 proudly announces 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 (Golden Feathers), and Rishabh Kumar (Farak). From the UK and EU, Maximilian Raynor and Martina Boero (Cavia) have been selected, alongside Jesica Pullo (BIOTICO), the finalist from the APAC & Beyond.

This year, the platform received over 190 applications from more than 10 countries, comprising a mix of organic entries and nominations through RCDC’s global network. Esteemed partners such as the British Council, Redress, Fondazione Sozzani, Fashion Revolution, and Estethica played a key role in identifying and amplifying talent from around the world—underscoring the growing international footprint of the Circular Design Challenge.

Originally conceived in India, the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge Award has grown into a global movement empowering young fashion designers and entrepreneurs to showcase pioneering innovations in circular fashion. With a strong focus on sustainability, the platform nurtures changemakers who are redefining the future of the fashion and textile industry.

Through tailored mentorship, strategic market access, and visibility across key industry platforms, RCDC equips emerging talent to scale their ideas and lead the charge toward a circular economy. The initiative stands as a testament to what’s possible when industry leaders, fashion ecosystems, and multilateral organisations like the United Nations collaborate to create transformative impact.

Presented by R|Elan, the next-generation fabric brand from Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), in partnership with the United Nations in India and Lakmē Fashion Week, the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge is committed to reducing waste and shaping a greener, more responsible future for global fashion.

UK Shortlist Winner: Maximilian Raynor

Maximilian Raynor has been named the UK winner of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge 2025, supported by the British Council. The jury meet was held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London on Thursday, 26th June 2025. Raynor’s practice begins with experimental textiles, transforming waste from past collections into new fabrics. Each collection is made from deadstock luxury materials, British wool roll ends, and vegan apple leather. The brand adopts cutting techniques that reduce or eliminate direct waste and prioritises rentals and reuse, with nearly 50% of its revenue coming from garment hires.

EU Shortlist Winner: Martina Boero

Martina Boero, founder of Italian brand Cavia, has been declared the winner of the EU Jury Meet held in Milan, in collaboration with Fondazione Sozzani. Cavia reimagines vintage, recycled, and deadstock materials into high-quality, eco-conscious garments. Each piece is crafted by Italian artisans using traditional techniques with a modern circular approach, embracing the uniqueness of reused fabrics.

APAC & Beyond Shortlist Winner: Jesica Pullo

BIOTICO, founded by Jesica Pullo, is an Argentine-Italian fashion brand championing circular fashion, sustainability, and social impact. Using low-tech upcycling, it transforms post-consumer plastics and industrial waste into handcrafted art-couture, avoiding virgin materials and energy use. BIOTICO also drives social inclusion by partnering with institutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities, combining environmental action with inclusive employment.

India Winners: Varshne B, Radhesh Agrahari, and Rishabh Kumar

The India Jury Meet in Mumbai announced three finalists for the 2025 edition:

Varshne B, Founder of CRCLE

CRCLE is a circular fashion and lifestyle brand committed to sustainability through a 360-degree approach—from design to end-of-life. It emphasizes durability, versatility, and minimal waste using innovative materials like Weganool, banana leather, stainless steel scraps, and post-consumer fabrics. Even tags and trims are reused or recycled. CRCLE represents a regenerative design philosophy that fuses creativity with ecological responsibility.

Radhesh Agrahari, Founder of Golden Feathers

Golden Feathers is a circular social enterprise turning chicken feather waste into the world’s sixth natural, biodegradable wool-like fiber. Using a patented 27-step, chemical-free sanitization process, it produces textiles and wood-free paper through a zero-waste model that blends indigenous craft with scientific innovation.

Rishabh Kumar, Founder of Farak

Farak collaborates with rural artisans to craft products from handspun, handwoven organic cotton and natural dyes. Rooted in traditional Indian techniques like block printing with century-old wooden blocks, Farak operates without electricity, ensuring zero carbon emissions, and uses 100% biodegradable packaging such as Kraft paper and wood pulp.

Mr. Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing at Reliance Industries Limited, commented:“Congratulations to the finalists—Varshne B, Radhesh Agrahari, and Rishabh Kumar from the India Jury Meet, Maximilian Raynor and Martina Boero (Cavia), winners of the UK and EU Jury Meets respectively, and Jesica Pullo (BIOTICO), winner of the APAC & Beyond Jury Meet for the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge. This platform, born in India and now global in its reach, reflects our deep commitment at Reliance to nurturing a new generation of changemakers—designers and entrepreneurs who are not only creative but also conscious. Through the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, we aim to foster innovation rooted in sustainability, waste reduction, and circularity. It’s heartening to see such incredible talent from our country take up the mantle of building a greener fashion future. We are proud to support this movement that brings together industry, multilateral partners, and the design community to drive meaningful, lasting change.”

Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Limited, added: “The evolution of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge into a global platform reflects our belief that meaningful progress in fashion must be collaborative, inclusive, and boundaryless. By bringing together talent from across India, the UK, EU, APAC and Beyond, CDC is not only spotlighting innovations rooted in sustainability, but also enabling cross-cultural exchange and global dialogue on circularity. It’s exciting to witness how a platform born in India is now shaping conversations and actions in the global fashion ecosystem. We’re proud to be championing this new wave of conscious creativity.”

All jury panels brought together leading voices from fashion, sustainability, and design to assess the collections based on parameters such as material and process innovation, circularity, closed-loop systems, energy efficiency, social impact, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

UK Jury

– Akanksha Kamath, Former Director and Fashion Features, Vogue India

– Chelsea Franklin, Independent Editor & Consultant

– Muchaneta Ten Napel, Founder & CEO, Shape Innovate

– Serva Davis, Director of Architecture, Design & Fashion, British Council

– Chelsea Franklin, Head of Advanced Concepts, PANGAIA

EU Jury

– Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director, Fondazione Sozzani

– Andrea Rosso, Sustainability Ambassador, Diesel & OTB Group

– Elisa Pervinca Bellini, Senior Fashion News & Sustainability Editor, Vogue Italia

– Leila Palermo, Director, Next Agency

– Mossi Traore, French Fashion Designer

India Jury

– Mehernaaz Dhondy, Editor-in-Chief, Grazia India

– Isha Bhansali, Fashion Stylist & Consultant

– Dia Mirza, Actor, Producer, Eco-Investor, and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador

– Karishma Shahani Khan, Creative Director, Ka-Sha & CDC Design Mentor

– Pranav Khanna, Circular Business Advisor & CDC Business Mento

– Rakesh Bali, Senior VP & Head of Marketing, RIL

– Darshana Gajare, Head of Sustainability, Lakmé Fashion Week

APAC & Beyond Jury

– Christina Dean, Founder, Redress

– Shaway Yeh, Founder, Yehyehyeh

– Flo Xu, Deputy Director of Operations, Sustainability at WWD China; Host, In the Loop Podcast

– Urvashi Kaur, Fashion Designer

Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director, Fondazione Sozzani, who was also a member & co-host of the EU Jury, shared her thoughts on the platform: “Circular Design Challenge gives the chance to the new generation to express their creativity in a responsible way. Nowadays, it is fundamental to support projects that work for a better future and think the best way to do less harm to the planet. CDC is a unique platform that, above visibility, also mentors and forms the designers.” 

This competition will culminate at the upcoming edition of Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) in October. The finalists from India and finalists from EU, APAC, and UK Jury Meets will now advance to the grand finale, coming together on a global stage that celebrates and champions sustainable fashion design talent from around the world. The winner & the runner-up of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC) will be bestowed with a seed fund of INR 15L & INR 5L respectively, the CDC Trophy, and a 6-month bespoke mentorship with Orsola De Castro & the team at Estethica. Additionally, the winner will earn the spotlight with a standalone showcase at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI in March 2026.

The R|Elan Circular Design Challenge’s global reach is a milestone and a remarkable step towards a more sustainable and circular fashion industry.

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