BYT rebrands to The R Collective and partners with Redress for the Design Award 2018

London - Sustainable designer collection BYT has rebranded itself as The R Collective as it announces its partnership with NGO Redress for the Redress Design Award 2018. The world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition for emerging and established designers has opened its 2018 cycle to all applicants around the world and is offering the winner the chance to join the R Collective and create a future upcycled collection for the brand.

The R Collective originally stems from Redress’ 10-year legacy and aims to shine a light on the possibilities offered by collaborating with leading emerging designers to create affordable, yet luxurious upcycled collections from premium textile waste. The R Collective currently works with four designers, who are previous winners of the Redress Design Award (formerly known as the EcoChic Design Award) and include Kévin Germanier, a Central St Martins graduate; Hong Kong Chinese Victor Chu whose creativity in zero waste design has been translated into various collections; British knitwear designer, Kate Morris, who also boasts a major 2017 PETA award; and Israeli Lia Kassif who has won a prestigious ‘People’s Award’ for her upcycling.

“The fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting industries and 80 percent of a product’s environmental impact is laid down at the design stage,” said Christina Dean, The R Collective’s Co-Founder and Redress’ Founder in a statement. “We know we can make fashion a force for good by empowering the incredible vision from the world’s best sustainable fashion designers by retailing their upcycled, limited edition collections. It’s vital to cater to the significant shift in consumer appetite for original, authentic fashion brands whilst capitalising on the increasing sustainable fashion market.”

The 2018 cycle of the Redress Design Award is now open to designers around the world who have less than three years’ industry experience. The competition application deadline is March 13, 2018. In honor of the new partnership, 25 percent of The R Collective future profits will be donated to Redress.

Photos: Kate Morris, courtesy of The R Collective