In 2023, the Foundation continued its Network Partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI) to cement the role of the circular economy in shaping the future of the fashion industry and to bring circular design to the top of the Italian fashion industry's creative agenda. For the second year running, we collaborated on CNMI’s Sustainable Fashion Awards, returning to our role as Chair of the Jury and presenting a dedicated Award for Circular Economy. Setting the direction of travel for the vision of a circular economy for the fashion industry to become mainstream.
Divided into ten categories, the 2023 edition of the Awards celebrated the creatives driving an industry that is regenerative by design. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation Award for Circular EconomyCircular EconomyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. recognises those leading the way in applying circular economy principles to their work: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating nature.
In 2023, the winner of this Award was Gucci for their commitment to transforming its productive model to enhance a more responsible and circular luxury for the future, as part of their “Denim Project”. Through its partnership with Regenagri® -certified Algosur farm in Spain, Gucci’s 'Denim Project’ set a high bar for incorporating regeneratively-grown cotton in its denim collections. Available in 2024, the items in the project will also include a digital product passport tracing the journey from raw materials to manufacturing and production, as well as providing information about product care and repairrepairOperation by which a faulty or broken product or component is returned back to a usable state to fulfil its intended use. services.
Image courtesy of Gucci
Finalists for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Award for Circular Economy, included Chloé and ACS Clothing, who were recognised for making significant progress towards a circular economy for fashion.
Chloé, a participant of The Jeans Redesign, a project run by the Foundation, demonstrated how it was possible to implement changes on a major scale, making 90% of its jeans portfolio circular in design, using durable, traceable, safe and recycled materials in the garments.
ACS Clothing, which is helping to drive an industry-wide shift by making it easier for brands and retailers to embrace circular business models, was shortlisted for its efforts to keep clothing in use. It offers a range of services to its partners including rental, repair, resale and fulfilment to make garments last longer.
“In the world of fashion, our vision of a circular economy is one where products are used more, are made to be made again, and are produced from safe and recycled or renewable inputs. We’re delighted to see top players in the global fashion industry – winner Gucci and finalists Chloé and ACS Clothing – embrace these circular economy principles in their products and through redesigning entire business models.
Transforming the fashion system won’t happen overnight. But collaboration across the industry from the design of future products to the processes, services, supply chains and business models that will deliver them and keep them in use, gives us hope that a circular economy for fashion can become the norm.”
Andrew Morlet, CEO Ellen MacArthur Foundation
By design, the circular economy helps tackle the root causes of global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Through recognising those leading the way in practising circular design, we can highlight the opportunities that exist and encourage further ambitious and transformative action.
Read more about all of the Winners below and download the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2023 booklet
2023 Award Winners
The Biodiversity and Water Award
This Award celebrates the organisations that recognise both the importance of biodiversity and water and the pressures they are under, and are taking active steps to protect, restore, and regenerate these natural systems in the way they conduct business.
Winner - Kering
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation Award for Circular Economy
This award recognises the efforts of brands, suppliers, and enabling platforms who are working to make the circular economy a reality. Special consideration has been given to candidates that put circular economy principles – eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials at their highest value, and regenerating nature – alongside circular design thinking at the core of their operations and value propositions.
Shortlisted - Chloé and ACS Clothing
Winner - Gucci
The Climate Action Award
The Climate Action Award is dedicated to fashion brands, suppliers, and organisations that have developed solutions to significantly reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Science-Based Targets Initiative’s Apparel and Footwear Sector Guidance, fashion-related raw materials extraction and production processes generally account for more than 50% of lifecycle emissions. Therefore, special consideration has been given to candidates that are lowering their emissions by keeping products and materials in circulation.
Winner - Manteco
The Craft and Italian Artisanship Award
The Award nominees have been selected by paying particular attention to the active work they do to recover existing materials and inject new life to decades-old manufacturing techniques, as well as to their commitment to preserve the heritage and exquisite craftsmanship of Made in Italy. Through this stimulating dialogue between tradition and innovation, the fashion system provides employment opportunities, as well as cultural empowerment and development.
Winner - Dolce&Gabbana
The Education of Excellence Award
With this Award, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana spotlights organisations working hard to equip and empower fashion workers with technical know-how – unlocking their talents, fostering their education, and ensuring a bright future for Made in Italy.
Winner - Valentino
The Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers
The Emerging Designer Award intends to recognise the work of individuals who craft innovative solutions, striking a balance between the traditional elements of the fashion heritage and forward-thinking approaches that have sustainability at the core of their value proposition.
Winner - Ahluwalia
The Groundbreaker Award
The Groundbreaker Award recognises innovative and out-of-the-box solutions which mitigate the environmental and social impacts of today’s fashion industry. Awareness of the systemic issues within the industry has grown in recent years, and so has the investment in research and development to tackle these.
Winner - Candiani
The Human Capital & Social Impact Award
This Award aims to recognise fashion actors who take significant positive action to address, tackle, and potentially solve social injustice. It gives visibility to those who focus on human development, reducing poverty, and creating more inclusive societies through their strategic choices, deliberate efforts, and operations.
Winner - Chloé
The Humanitarian Award for Equity and Inclusivity
Respecting diversity, promoting equity, and practising inclusion are not only moral imperatives but also essential steps towards a more responsible, resilient, and successful fashion industry. Placing a core emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion will also ensure that the fashion industry remains at the creative cutting edge by representing a global landscape of ideas and perspectives.
Winner - Donatella Versace
The Visionary Award
The Visionary Award recognises forward-thinking, creative, and innovative individuals transforming the fashion system from within. By celebrating the work of these visionary talents, the fashion industry can capture these sources of inspiration for the next generation of designers and managers.
Winner - Edward Enninful
