2023 REGISTRATION
We are delighted for the second year to host the Nordic Region Real Leather. Stay Different. Student Design Competition 2023, a search for the best of the Nordic Region’s new designers and for those who want to promote slow style and a more sustainable future for fashion.
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT FAST FASHION AND UNSUSTAINABLE MATERIALS?
According to Greenpeace, synthetics – made using petrochemicals from the oil industry – now make up 60% of our clothing. These clothes not only take hundreds of years to biodegrade but are often cheap and poorly made. The result — nearly one billion items of clothing, each typically worn just five times — are thrown away every year.
In the meantime, leather, a natural by-product of the dairy and meat industries and our growing demand for food — from burgers to milkshakes, can be used to make items that last a lifetime and, when disposed of, biodegrade quickly. Leather is a perfect solution to one of fashion’s biggest problems, but each year almost half of the world’s cattle hides are just thrown away.
THE BRIEF & DELIVERABLES
You are asked to use leather as the inspiration for a single item, either clothing, shoes, or accessories. Entries must be at least 50% cattle hide leather and any other materials used must be natural or organic materials where possible. We do not accept the use of fur or exotic skins. Plastics must only be used where no natural alternatives are available. We would like your piece to capture one or more of the facets of leather, from beauty and versatility to strength and durability.
Entries should include the following elements:
1. A brief summary of your project provided in English.
2. Storyboards and design inspiration.
3. Sketches, flats, technical specifications, and final design (the item does not need to
be physically made at this stage).
4. A short two-minute video to introduce you and your design. This is optional but
encouraged, as it would make a great addition to your entry.
Please give consideration to ease of recycling, reuse and disposal at the end of the product’s life, and also think about the practicalities of commercial production, as we are looking for designers who will start new brands, fashion movements or style trends.
THE DEADLINE
The competition opens March 15, 2023, and closes on June 30, 2023. Any entries submitted after that date will not be accepted.
Register for the competition via the link below to create your profile and upload your entry.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE COMPETITION AND VIEW THE T&CS