The Sustainable Designer Award celebrates creative talents who combine high-quality design, innovation, and an environmentally conscious mindset. The award recognises designers who rethink the processes of fashion creation, make informed choices regarding materials and production, and use their work to inspire positive change.
The laureate is selected by an international jury of industry experts, consisting of Reet Aus, Piret Puppart, Cärol Ott, Karl Joonas Alamaa, and Natascha von Hirschhausen.
The evaluation takes into account the designer’s holistic approach to sustainability — from material sourcing and production processes to design quality, cultural impact, and the clear and inspiring communication of sustainable values.
The nominees for the Sustainable Designer Award are announced at the end of each fashion show, while the winner will be revealed at the conclusion of the Antonius Fashion Show on 12 June at the Estonian National Museum.
A Trip to Berlin Fashion Week and Personal Mentorship
The Sustainable Designer Award laureate will travel to Berlin Fashion Week from 2–5 July 2026
and receive personal mentorship from designer Natascha von Hirschhausen.
The Sustainable Designer Award is presented in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Tallinn and the CCI Contact Desk. The award takes the laureate to Berlin Fashion Week in July 2026 and includes personal mentorship from one of the leading voices in sustainable fashion, designer Natascha von Hirschhausen.
Natascha von Hirschhausen is an internationally recognised German designer whose work brings together fashion, design, and research. At the core of her practice lies a simple yet powerful question: how can garments be created without generating unnecessary waste? Through her innovative pattern-cutting techniques, she has reduced production waste from the industry average of around 20% to less than 1%, transforming a sustainability challenge into a source of creative innovation.
Her work has been recognised with Germany’s prestigious Bundespreis Ecodesign award, exhibited at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Berlin, and she has served as a guest lecturer at one of the world's most renowned design schools, Parsons – The New School in New York. Since 2024, she has also been a Professor of Fashion Management at mdh Berlin.
Natascha von Hirschhausen represents a new generation of fashion designers who do not merely adapt to change, but actively shape the future of fashion.
Evaluation Criteria
Material Origin and Impact – the designer’s awareness in material selection, including a preference for recycled, organic, bio-based, and locally sourced materials; transparency regarding the supply and production chain.
Responsible Production and Resource Efficiency – responsible organisation of production processes, minimisation of material waste, utilisation of leftovers, zero-waste pattern cutting, modular design solutions, and collaboration with ethical manufacturers.
Design Quality and Creativity – professional, distinctive, and well-executed design that successfully integrates sustainable solutions while remaining visually compelling and functionally strong.
Cultural and Social Significance – the promotion of cultural heritage, collaboration with local craftspeople, artisans, or social enterprises, and contribution to cultural continuity.
Communication and Impact – clear presentation of sustainable choices on the runway and in marketing communications; the ability to raise public awareness of fashion’s environmental impact and responsible consumption.
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The jury selected three outstanding nominees from the 2025 fashion shows: Marleen Afanasjev (Mood-Performance-Tants), Kristina Oja (OmaMood), and Alice Pärtelpoeg (Antonius Fashion Show).
All three designers stood out for their conscious and responsible approach to fashion — from material selection to ethical production practices and consideration of environmental impact.
In 2025, Alice Pärtelpoeg was awarded the title of Sustainable Designer. As part of the prize, she presented her collection to visitors of Berlin Fashion Week at the roam projects e. V. studio.
From the 2024 fashion shows, the jury selected the following nominees: India Kiisler from Mood-Performance-Tants, Janika Solmann from OmaMood, and Cärol Ott from the Antonius Fashion Show.
These designers set an example through their work by using materials responsibly, embracing ethical production methods, and carefully considering the environmental impact of every product they create.
In 2024, the title was awarded to Cärol Ott, whose prize included a visit to Copenhagen Fashion Week. You can read about her experience here.