For the fourth year running, Twyg Magazine hosted the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards to showcase South African designers and creators who are using sustainable practices to make the world of fashion more sustainable.
There are nine categories of awards, with an esteemed panel of judges selecting winners from shortlists. This year’s panel featured Omoyemi Akerele, Mima Viglezio, Esetu Senga, Dr. Sipho Mbatha, Fabia Prior, Nisha Kanabar and Sharon Armstrong.
In the year On November 17th, creators gathered at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel to identify and celebrate sustainable, circular and ethical fashion in the latest announcements.
After more than 100 matches, 27 finalists were selected and the group ten winners were announced. From the top of the nine categories, the tenth category will award one of the nine overall prize winners.
This year’s Twyg Awards include Country Road, Levi’s South Africa, Polo South Africa, SKYY Vodka, Mount Nelson, Curbon, PETCO, Hotel Verde, Goethe Institute, Electric South, British Council, Cape Heritage Hotel, Eco Standard South Africa, Spier and Sunday Times Lifestyle. Style.
“With our commitment to sustainability, it’s important to partner with platforms in South Africa to support and promote responsible fashion practices,” says Country Road Brand Sustainability Manager Fabia Prior.
“Over the past two years, our partnership with Twig has allowed us to support designers who are driving innovation in the fashion industry.”
Here are the winning creations:
1. Student Award presented by Levi’s®
Winner: Aidan Peters
This award is given to a student whose work challenges fashion in a creative way, particularly in relation to environmental and social issues.
2. Additional reward
Winner: PICHULK
This award is given to a brand or designer that practices ethical labor practices in making sustainable accessories. The award recognizes a brand or designer that limits the use and waste of toxic chemicals.
3. Creative Design and Material Award presented by Polo South Africa
Winner: Dreamer
This award recognizes a designer who limits textile waste, uses recycling techniques and works to use sustainable fabrics.
4. Trans-temporal reward
Winner: BAM Collection
This award honors a brand, collection or garment that transcends seasons and trends and endures. The designer who won this award shows concern for the preservation of clothes.
5. Nicholas Coutts Award
Winner: Online
This award honors the late Nicholas Coutts, who explored traditional craft through his designs. The award recognizes a designer who uses craftsmanship to celebrate slow and sustainable fashion production.
6. Retail Award
Winner: Traders at Long
This award recognizes a retailer that practices and promotes sustainable fashion consumption. This could be through a swap-shop, rental or selling of sustainably produced goods.
7. Influencer Award
Winner: Kensani Mohlatole
This award recognizes an influencer who has produced content promoting slow fashion in the past year. The influencer should be someone who bridges the issues of inclusion and the environment to spark conversations around sustainable fashion practices.
8. CMT or producer award
Winner: Sparrow Society
This award is given to a ‘Cut Make Trim’ or environmentally and socially conscious manufacturer, and demonstrates a commitment to reducing environmental impact and using ethical production methods.
9. Award of textile makers or millers
Winner: ZURI and IMANI
This award recognizes textile products that use natural, regenerated and recycled fibers and non-toxic dyes.
10. Change maker award
Winner: Cleo Dreamer
This award is not open to entry and will be selected from the winners of the other categories. The award is given to a designer whose work incorporates a sustainable and circular design approach.
The prize has a cash prize of 100,000 rubles.
About the winner
Drroomer, by Cleo Drroomer, Experiments in “Social Sculpture, Folk History and Collaborative Meaning-Making.” For Dreamer, sustainability goes hand in hand with producing pieces that are full of meaning and history.
Each Drroomer garment connects with history, tells a forgotten story and brings people closer together.
“It’s fantastic to embark on a new journey and have your art recognized and appreciated from where you’ve been before. I really appreciate the opportunity to be seen in the industry, Twyg and country,” says Cleo Dromer.
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Image: Style
