Mindful Fashion Announces New Sponsor For Circular Business Innovation Award
Press Release – Mindful Fashion NZ
This year, the Circular Business Innovation Award is supported by a new sponsor – Untouched World, a pioneer in sustainable fashion and last years winner of the award.
Mindful Fashion New Zealand is pleased to announce that entries are now open for the Circular Business Innovation Award, a category within the Mindful Fashion Circular Design Awards 2025, celebrating bold leadership and innovation in New Zealand's transition to a circular economy.
This year, the Circular Business Innovation Award is supported by a new sponsor – Untouched World, a pioneer in sustainable fashion and last year's winner of the award. By stepping into the role of sponsor in 2025, Untouched World is demonstrating its ongoing commitment to positive impact and leadership across the fashion and textile industry.
'With an estimated 143 tonnes of clothing waste sent to landfill every day in New Zealand, it's imperative we shift to a more circular way of operating — one that designs out waste and keeps our clothing and textiles in use,' says Jacinta FitzGerald, Chief Executive of Mindful Fashion. 'This award recognises the businesses leading that shift — turning challenge into opportunity and inspiring change at every level of the system.'
The Circular Business Innovation Award recognises businesses across the fibre, textile, and clothing sectors that are actively embedding circular principles into their operations – from product design to business models, supply chain innovation to end-of-life solutions. The award is open to all New Zealand-based businesses committed to accelerating circular practices that regenerate, reduce waste, and rethink value creation
'Untouched World has long been at the forefront of sustainable business in Aotearoa,' says Jacinta FitzGerald, Chief Executive of Mindful Fashion NZ. 'To see last year's winner return as this year's sponsor is a powerful demonstration of leadership — and a commitment to nurturing the wider ecosystem of change.'
'We're honoured to sponsor this year's award,' says Peri Drysdale, Founder and CEO of Untouched World. 'Winning in 2024 was a powerful moment for us. It reinforced how these awards can amplify impact not just within our own operations, but across the broader industry and beyond our borders. As a company deeply committed to positive change, we believe in lifting others as we move forward.'
The Mindful Fashion Circular Design Awards are a celebration of creative thinking, collaboration, and system innovation. Now in their third year, the Awards continue to spotlight and support the changemakers shaping a thriving, resilient and regenerative future for fashion and textiles in Aotearoa.
Entries are open now and close Friday 1st August 2025.
Here's the full timeline for the Circular Design Award process leading up to the Gala event in October:
Entries open | 9th June 2025
Entries close | 1st August 2025 at 5pm
Judging | August 2025
Finalists notified | August/September
Circular Design Award Gala | 7th October 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Auckland department store Smith and Caughey's unveils final window display
Soon to close Auckland department store Smith & Caughey's has unveiled it's final Queen Street window display after 145 years. The curtains were pulled back at 3:30pm on Thursday, where a projector played a slideshow of images commemorating the iconic store's heritage and people. It accompanied another window display that was revealed on Wednesday, which reflects on Smith & Caughey's origins. Smith & Caughey's historical window display showing store's history. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel About a dozen staff members came outside together to watch the display unveiling. Smith & Caughey's acting chief executive Matt Harray was approached by RNZ, but declined to comment. It comes as the department store's closing date was moved forward to 4pm Sunday, after originally being set to shut its doors on 31 July. "It is with a heavy heart that we announce our official closure, 4pm Sunday 15 June 2025. Until then, we welcome you instore for one last shop, a friendly chat and perhaps a shared memory or two," said Smith & Caughey's on social media. The post went on to say that the final Smith & Caughey's Queen Street window display, "shines a light on the rich history of our business, and our people". Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel The store had announced in May that it intended to close, with 98 staff being made redundant. Smith & Caughey's closed its Newmarket store last year and had reduced its Queen Street store to one floor. At the time, the company cited increased competition from new shopping malls, continued economic uncertainty and low consumer confidence and spending power has contributed to their closure. Smith & Caughey's also said many city office workers were continuing to work from home post-Covid. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel They said the city centre has also faced significant disruption and change in the form of ongoing roadworks and the slow progress of CRL causing traffic congestion. The company said a large decline in foot traffic on Queen Street and an increase in parking costs had caused an impact, forcing the "heartbreaking" closure of the entire business. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel "We are acutely aware that this has been a difficult and uncertain time for our staff and today's announcement is a deeply emotional one for all the team, our suppliers and our loyal customers," Harray said at the time in a statement. "Our intention has always been to address the business challenges so that Smith & Caughey's can continue. Every attempt has been made to achieve this and every feasible option investigated, no stone left unturned. "However, it's sadly clear it is no longer viable for us to keep the doors open." Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
The Panel with Paula Penfold and Conor English Part 1
Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Paula Penfold and Conor English Paula goes behind the scenes on her breakthorugh story this week about former Prime Minister staffer Michael Forbes; the nation's disaster monitoring centre is hit by funding cuts and The Finance Minister is being accused of opening a can of worms for considering giving farmers early access to their Kiwisavers. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Auckland department store Smith & Caughey's unveils final window display
Soon to close Auckland department store Smith & Caughey's has unveiled it's final Queen Street window display after 145 years. The curtains were pulled back at 3:30pm on Thursday, where a projector played a slideshow of images commemorating the iconic store's heritage and people. It accompanied another window display that was revealed on Wednesday, which reflects on Smith & Caughey's origins. Smith & Caughey's historical window display showing store's history. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel About a dozen staff members came outside together to watch the display unveiling. Smith & Caughey's acting chief executive Matt Harray was approached by RNZ, but declined to comment. It comes as the department store's closing date was moved forward to 4pm Sunday, after originally being set to shut its doors on 31 July. "It is with a heavy heart that we announce our official closure, 4pm Sunday 15 June 2025. Until then, we welcome you instore for one last shop, a friendly chat and perhaps a shared memory or two," said Smith & Caughey's on social media. The post went on to say that the final Smith & Caughey's Queen Street window display, "shines a light on the rich history of our business, and our people". Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel The store had announced in May that it intended to close, with 98 staff being made redundant. Smith & Caughey's closed its Newmarket store last year and had reduced its Queen Street store to one floor. At the time, the company cited increased competition from new shopping malls, continued economic uncertainty and low consumer confidence and spending power has contributed to their closure. Smith & Caughey's also said many city office workers were continuing to work from home post-Covid. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel They said the city centre has also faced significant disruption and change in the form of ongoing roadworks and the slow progress of CRL causing traffic congestion. The company said a large decline in foot traffic on Queen Street and an increase in parking costs had caused an impact, forcing the "heartbreaking" closure of the entire business. Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel "We are acutely aware that this has been a difficult and uncertain time for our staff and today's announcement is a deeply emotional one for all the team, our suppliers and our loyal customers," Harray said at the time in a statement. "Our intention has always been to address the business challenges so that Smith & Caughey's can continue. Every attempt has been made to achieve this and every feasible option investigated, no stone left unturned. "However, it's sadly clear it is no longer viable for us to keep the doors open." Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
