Meet The Finalists Of The 2025 Sustasia Fashion Prize

Angel Chen, Ruohan, and Jaggy Glarino are some of brands championing fashion sustainability in the first edition of the Sustasia Fashion Prize.

After a three-month selection process, they make up some of the 8 finalists chosen for the inaugural 2025 edition of the new award launched by sustainability leader Shaway Yeh.

The full line-up revealed on December 6 in Shanghai includes:

Tommy Ambiyo Tedji (Byo) from Indonesia; Pratyush Kumar (Pieux) from India; Vietnam’s Kha Hoang Ngo (Khaar); Jaggy Glarino (Jaggy) from the Philippines and Tetsuya Doi (RequaL≡) from Japan. Greater China’s cohort’s features Karmuel Young (Karmuel Young ) from Hong Kong, and the mainland’s Angel Chen (Angel Chen) and Ruohan Nie (Ruohan).

Hailing from six countries across Asia, the finalists were selected based on their use of sustainable materials, design language and craftsmanship, diverse experiments in clothes-making processes, and a considered exploration of other environmentally beneficial production methods.

The next step will see the finalists work with sustainable innovative materials and next-gen materials developed by leading global industry players, to craft a final competition piece. These include bio-based leather alternatives by Modern Meadow and Oleatex; organic silk by Otex; brewed protein fiber by Spider; microbial dyed cashmere by Zenzo and Erdos; compostable polyester Celys and recycled wool by Woolmark.

All finalists will receive tailored mentorship and training from experts, culminating in the exhibition of their work during the Autumn Winter 25 schedule of Shanghai Fashion Week. The jury will crown one grand prize winner, offering RMB 100,000 and exclusive opportunities to partner with high-end retail channels to transform their designs into market-ready creations.

The first award of its kind, Yeh’s ambition is to “serve as a matchmaker” between designers and material providers in the hope that the pairings create real outcomes in the form of design. The search process was an “intense review of the diversity of contemporary Asian culture that has at times been obscured or undervalued by the current fashion system,” according to Yeh.

Her Chinese agency Yehyehyeh was founded in 2017 to bring together sustainability, creativity, and innovation to instigate value-based change, advancing the topic across R&D, marketing, and supply chain innovation. So far, it has collaborated with Kering and LVMH.

Xiaolei Lv, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Fashion Designer Association which is an award co-organizer, says the prize is the next step in an effort to “connect the entire industry value chain.” Yeh and Lv sit on an Advisory Committee with Kaoru Imajo, Director of Japan Fashion Week who said he hopes the project “opens up the path for the young designers’ business to Asia and the wider world.”

Svida Alisjahbana, Chairman of Jakarta Fashion Week, and Kullawit Laosuksri, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Thailand also sit on the board with Darshana Gajare, Head of Sustainability, Lakme Fashion Week. According to Gajare, the initiative aligns with Lakmé Fashion Week’s commitment to empowering sustainable entrepreneurs and fostering the next generation of global fashion leaders. “I look forward to seeing how this award inspires emerging talent to redefine the industry’s future—with sustainability at its core,” she adds.

Here are the finalists of the 2025 Sustasia Fashion Prize.

Angel Chen from China

Angel Chen debuted her first collection at Milan Fashion Week in 2017 through Mercedes-Benz’s International Designer Exchange Programme. Her commitment to sustainability goes beyond materials—it is a way of honoring craftsmanship and heritage. She considers it not just a practice but a journey rooted in the heart of Chinese tradition, intertwined with a deep respect for nature. She incorporates eco-friendly elements such as custom slit-weaving textiles (sakiori) with upcycled fabrics, blending Eastern and Western aesthetics to create fashion that speaks to the environment and culture. Spring/Summer 2025 exemplifies this ethos with handwoven fabrics made by the artisans of Anshun, Guizhou, turning excess inventory into artful, wearable pieces. Angel Chen was honored with the WWD GDF Green Star Award for Sustainable Fashion Design in 2023.

Byo from Indonesia

A trained industrial designer, Tommy Ambiyo Tedji established his brand with a singular purpose: to make good design as a means of self-expression available for every individual. This vision was realized in accessory design, where his love of bag-making and experimental approach has manifested in cutting-edge and functional objects that anyone can wear. His philosophy towards sustainability is about utilizing his specialty in modular textile fashion design to make use of undesirable materials and turn them into desirable objects. It is his mission to design something that endures the test of time and rises above the unnecessarily fast pace of fashion trends.

Jaggy from the Philippines

Jaggy Glarino is a Filipino avant-garde fashion designer who is celebrated for his intuitive design approach, bold color choices, and multi-dimensional take on garment construction. A fashion school drop-out, Jaggy, who is self-taught, built his career on YouTube tutorials, ready-made pattern stencils, and by unraveling interesting pieces of garments from thrift stores. As a fashion designer, he views sustainability in fashion as a call for a comprehensive shift in perspective—one that values efforts of all scales to create lasting impact. He suggests that through collective, multidimensional strategies in design, innovation, and education, the industry can be reshaped to prioritize accountability, inclusivity, and a shared commitment to a more enduring and responsible future.

Khaar from Vietnam

Kha Hoang Ngo founded Khaar, a phygital sustainable fashion brand in early 2022. It makes use of the precision nature of 3D design & visualization to reduce wastes by advanced Virtual 3D technology. Khaar is one of a small number of hybrid fashion brands that succeeds in combining reality and virtuality, following the principles of 3R in fashion: Reduce waste by advanced Virtual 3D technology, recycling and upcycling fabric scraps and textile wastes, and acting responsibly by sourcing premium, sustainable materials. Kha has created a fresh choice for those who love sustainable and sophisticated fashion.

Karmuel Young from Hong Kong

Karmuel Young worked as an assistant designer for brands like Damir Doma in Paris and Ute Ploier in Vienna before moving to Hong Kong. There, the designer worked in brand creative service for Lane Crawford and menswear design at retail I.T before starting Karmuel Young his own label in 2014. Starting out with men’s shoe accessories, it now explores sustainability in each collection by modernizing classic pieces from sustainable materials sourced globally. Young also sources the dead stock or vintage of classic menswear to re-edit into modern designs.

Pieux from India

The emerging fashion designer Pratyush Kumar from India gained recognition for his sustainable label Pieux by winning the R|elan Circular Design Challenge 2022 in partnership with the United Nations, India. Also in 2022, he won the Clean Tech Challenge winner. He was awarded the Grazia Young Fashion Awards 2024 for work in sustainable fashion. Every Pieux creation begins with an understanding of its potential impact on the planet, animals, and people. It meticulously considers the lifespan, materials, aesthetic value, techniques, and stakeholders involved in the process. From material procurement to packaging and a product’s end-of-life, every step is designed to minimize waste and maximize value. Pieux aims to inspire a more conscious industry and redefine the future of fashion, where ethical practices and respect for the environment go hand in hand.

Ruohan from China

Ruohan advocates that sustainable practices are not just a responsibility, but a necessity for the future of the planet. The brand is committed to reducing its environmental impact while producing products and recent initiatives include transitioning to renewable materials, implementing efficient stock programs, and supporting local environmental projects. Designer Ruohan Nie received her bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design in 2020. She hopes her design can introduce new ways of seeing the world and bring value and inspiration beyond fashion.

RequaL≡ from Japan

RequaL≡ was launched in 2016 by Tetsuya Doi to offer unisex wear. Doi won an honorable mention from the 34th Hyeres International Mode Festival Mode Jury Award. The brand wants to create an authentically sustainable future based on warmth and handcraft, expressed by its understanding of old things. It puts its hopes and dreams into creations based on the scope of what it can achieve in-house. This includes techniques like re-tailoring tailored jackets using traditional hand-stitching. It pledges to create and convey new things from old things: Haute couture in everyday life.

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