Petra Fagerström wins Challenge the Fabric 2025

Swedish-born, London-based designer Petra Fagerström, who graduated with an MA in womenswear design from Central Saint Martins this year, has been named the winner of the Challenge the Fabric 2025 competition.

The annual award, which was founded in 2018, promotes and encourages the use of bio-based and recycled materials while establishing long-term partnerships between emerging designers and potential sustainable material partners.

This year marks the fifth edition of the prize and featured seven finalists, who were challenged to create one look each using 10 metres of man-made cellulosic fibres (MMCF) fabric provided by a selected CTF Award Innovation partner. Each of the finalists showcased their look and shared the process of creation during a two-day exhibition in Milan from May 13 to 14.

Fagerström, who partnered with Sappi Verve and Ecocell, was named the winner by a jury for demonstrating “commercial potential” with her project. She will receive a cash prize of 10,000 US dollars to use to support her label.

The jury included Aldo Camillo Gotti, chief executive luxury and fashion retail at 10 Corso Como, Ellen Hodakova Larsson, founder and creative director at Hodakova, Andrea Rosso, sustainability ambassador at Diesel, Gia Kuan, founder of Gia Kuan Consulting, Martina Tiefenthaler, creative director and creative consultant, Serge Carreira, director of emerging brands initiative at FHCM, and Riccardo Turrisi, sustainable innovation manager at Kering.

Challenge the Fabric names 2025 winner

Commenting on the winner, the jury said in a statement: “It is our great pleasure to announce Petra Fagerström as the winner of the 2025 CTF Award, a designer who has demonstrated strength across all criteria: innovation, creativity, commercial potential, brand purpose and future impact and whose work speaks clearly, and with conviction.”

The other finalists in the competition included Louther, who partnered with HerMin Textile, Nuba with Birla Cellulose, Oscar Quyang and Eastman Naia Renew, Shan Huq with the Lenzing Group, Women's History Museum with Circ x Pyratex and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen with Circulose x Sinoteco.

Alongside the competition, the two-day cross-industry initiative hosted by Ekman Group and organised with the Swedish Fashion Council (SFC), featured panel discussions, keynotes, and a platform for professionals across the MMCF supply chain to highlight material innovation, collaboration, and create change by connecting the entire supply chain of man-made cellulosic fibres (MMCF).