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For the fourth year, Twyg magazine hosted the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards to celebrate South African designers and creators who are using mindful practices to make the fashion world more maintainable.
There are nine categories of the awards, with an esteemed panel of judges choosing the winners from the lists of finalists. This year’s panel featured Omoyemi Akerele, Mimma Viglezio, Esethu Cenga, Dr Sipho Mbatha, Fabia Pryor, Nisha Kanabar and Sharon Armstrong.
On 17 November, creators gathered at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel to recognise and celebrate sustainable, circular and ethical fashion in the final announcements.
After over 100 entries, 27 finalists were selected and ten category winners were announced. On top of the nine categories, the tenth category awards one of the nine winners with the overall award.
This year’s Twyg awards were supported by 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.
“With our level of commitment to sustainability, it is important that we collaborate with platforms in South Africa that are working towards the same vision to support and promote responsible fashion practices,” says Fabia Pryor, Country Road Brand Sustainability Manager.
“Over the past two years, our partnership with Twyg has allowed us to support emerging designers that are driving innovation in the fashion industry.”
Here are the innovators who won:
1. Student Award presented by Levi’s®
Winner: Aidan Peters
This award is given to a student whose work challenges fashion in creative ways, specifically with regards to environmental and social issues.
2. Accessory Award
Winner: PICHULIK
This award is given to a brand or designer who implements ethical labour practices in their making of sustainable accessories. The awards recognises a brand or designer who limits the use and waste of toxic chemicals.
3. Innovative Design and Materials Award presented by POLO South Africa
Winner: Droomer
This award recognises a designer who limits textile waste, uses reconstruction techniques and commits to using sustainable fabrics.
4. Trans-seasonal Award
Winner: The BAM Collective
This award celebrates a brand, collection or garment that transcends seasons and trends, and are made to last. The designer who wins this award shows a thoughtful commitment to the preservation of garments.
5. Nicholas Coutts Award
Winner: Laaniraani
This award honours the late Nicholas Coutts, who explored traditional craft through his designs. The award recognises a designer who uses artisanal craft to celebrate a slow and sustainable production of fashion.
6. Retail Award
Winner: Merchants on Long
This award is given to a retailer that practices and promotes a sustainable consumption of fashion. This can be through swap-shops, rental or retailing of sustainably manufactured items.
7. Influencer Award
Winner: Khensani Mohlatlole
This award recognises an influencer that has produced content in the past year that promotes slow fashion. The influencer must be someone who intersects inclusivity and environmental issues to spark conversations around sustainable fashion practices.
8. CMT or Manufacturer Award
Winner: Sparrow Society
This award is presented to a ‘Cut Make Trim’ or manufacturer that is environmentally and socially conscious, and demonstrates a commitment to reducing environmental impact and using ethical production methods.
9. Textile Makers or Mills Award
Winner: ZURI and IMANI
This award recognises the production of textiles that use natural, regenerative and recycled fibres and non-toxic dyes.
10. Changemaker Award
Winner: Cleo Droomer
This award, presented by Country Road, is not open for entries and is chosen from the winners of the other categories. The award is presented to a designer whose career has embraced sustainable and circular design practices.
The award boasts a cash prize of R100 000.
About the winner
Droomer, by Cleo Droomer, experiments in “social sculpture, public storytelling and collaborative meaning-making.” For Droomer, sustainability goes hand-in-hand with producing pieces that are full of meaning and history.
Every Droomer garment connects to a story, telling forgotten history and bringing people closer.
“It is so wonderful to embark on a new journey and for your art to be recognised and appreciated when it is such a big departure from where you have been before. I am so appreciative of the opportunity to be seen by the industry, by Twyg, and by Country Road,” says Cleo Droomer.
Also read:
Kenilworth Centre’s rooftop farm educates youth and promotes sustainability
Picture: twyg.
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