Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and Visa have unveiled Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway, a Europe-focused programme intended to help early-stage designers and entrepreneurs turn circular fashion concepts into scalable businesses. The initiative targets founders working across categories such as apparel, accessories, footwear and textiles, with an emphasis on models that keep products and materials in use for longer through services like resale, repair and rental.
Applications are now open to Europe-based participants who have owned and operated a business for at least one year. To qualify, applicants must run their ventures primarily in Europe and demonstrate that circularity sits at the centre of their proposition—whether through upcycling, refill and return systems, redistribution networks, or other approaches that reduce waste and extend product life.
Fifteen winners will be selected by a jury of industry figures. The panel includes Laura Ingham of Vogue, Kirsty Keoghan from eBay, Shailja Dubé of the British Fashion Council and Philip Konopik of Visa Europe. Gemma Styles, the programme’s ambassador, will also sit on the jury.
The awards are structured in tiers. Ten winners will share a total of €50,000 to invest directly into business development. Four additional winners will each receive €10,000 and a broader package of support, including invitations to the Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2026, tailored guidance from solution providers to help co-create products, mentorship sessions, promotional opportunities and greater visibility across the industry. One Grand Prize Winner will receive €20,000 along with the same set of benefits.
Global Fashion Agenda CEO Federica Marchionni said: “Through Recycle the Runway, we are proud to support the next generation of creators who are reimagining how fashion is designed, produced, and experienced. This initiative helps turn circular ideas into viable businesses that can shape a more regenerative future for fashion. By connecting creative talent with funding, mentorship, and industry platforms, GFA keeps accelerating the transition towards a more circular fashion system.”
Shortlisted applicants must be able to attend the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen on 6–7 May 2026. Beyond the financial grants, the organisers are positioning Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway as a visibility platform—one designed to showcase new talent while reinforcing circular business models as commercially viable pathways for fashion’s next generation.
Visa Europe Nordics and Baltics Group country manager Philip Konopik commented: “Through Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway with Global Fashion Agenda, we’re proud to empower the next generation of creators and spotlight how those purpose-led small businesses can speed the shift to a more regenerative fashion economy.”
