Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Deadline: October 6, 2025
The H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award 2026 is now open for applications, offering one of the world’s leading innovation challenges in sustainable fashion. Established to drive positive transformation in the fashion and textile industry, the award supports pioneering ideas that can make fashion more sustainable, circular, and inclusive.
Referred to as the Nobel Prize of Fashion, the Global Change Award seeks early-stage innovations that tackle pressing industry challenges, such as waste reduction, recycling, alternative materials, circular business models, and climate-smart processes. Selected winners will receive financial support, mentorship, and access to a global network to scale their innovations and create lasting impact.
GCA is looking for changemakers who fall into one of four overarching areas:
Wildcards – unexpected impactful ideas we haven’t even thought of yet, or that amplify transformation within multiple areas.
Sustainable materials and processes – such as low energy materials and new and recycled fibers, sustainable energy practices, alternative wet processes, treatments and finishes, new construction techniques and more.
Responsible production – such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, prediction modelling, on-demand, waste management, zero-waste solutions and more.
Mindful consumption – such as reshaping demand, garment care, extending garment life cycles, recycling solutions, circular business models and more.
Benefits
Successful applicants will gain access to:
- A grant pool of €200,000, distributed among winners to develop their projects.
- A one-year tailor-made innovation accelerator program provided by H&M Foundation and its global partners.
- Mentorship from leading experts in business, fashion, sustainability, and investment.
- Global visibility through H&M Foundation’s extensive communication platforms.
- Networking opportunities with industry leaders, investors, and innovators in fashion and sustainability.
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Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Present an early-stage innovation addressing sustainability in fashion or textiles.
- Be individuals, teams, startups, or organizations working on scalable solutions.
- Have a strong commitment to circular economy principles.
- Be open to global collaboration and willing to participate in the accelerator program.
- Projects should demonstrate potential for commercial viability and measurable impact.
Application Process and Documents Required
Interested innovators should:
- Apply through the H&M Foundation Global Change Award online portal.
- Submit a detailed description of their innovation, including impact potential and scalability.
- Provide a team profile or organizational background.
- Attach relevant supporting documents or prototypes, if available.
- Ensure all application materials are in English.
Applications will be reviewed by an international expert panel based on innovation, scalability, and environmental and social impact.
