Sustasia Fashion Prize: Karmuel Young Picks Modern Meadow

NUTLEY, NJ, MARCH 31, 2025 – Modern Meadow, a leader in sustainable materials, announced today Karmuel Young, founder of the Karmuel Young label, used the company’s biomaterial in his Sustasia Fashion Prize submission. Young, based in Hong Kong, elected to use Modern Meadow’s INNOVERA™, formerly known as BIO-VERA®, in his four-in-one jumpsuit that can transition from a jumpsuit to a long coat, short jacket and pants.

Organized by the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association and yehyehyeh, the 2025 Sustasia Fashion Prize is designed to accelerate sustainable practices and innovation in Asia’s fashion industry. By providing a monetary award and industry support, the prize encourages designers to combine sustainable principles, innovative materials and new techniques into their work. The eight prize finalists from across Asia presented their final works on March 28 to a panel of judges who assessed based on sustainability, innovation, aesthetics and practicality.

“We are honored that Karmuel Young chose to use our INNOVERA™ biomaterial in his Sustasia Fashion Prize design to showcase the beauty and versatility of sustainable innovative materials in clothing,” said David Williamson, PhD, CEO of Modern Meadow. “We, like the organizers of the Sustasia Fashion Prize who seek to address sustainability within the fashion industry, are inspired by nature and driven by purpose to introduce new materials and processes that can enable a healthier future for our planet.”

Young, whose brand focuses on a modern masculine wardrobe, used camel INNOVERA™ in suede for his design. He created a multi-functional piece with a modern twist for men to wear for different purposes, meant to promote longevity and timelessness. Given how INNOVERA™ is engineered to replicate the look and feel of the collagen found in leather, the material is ready to resonate through infinite design interpretations. It is crafted using plant-based proteins, biopolymers, and recycled rubber – resulting in over 80% renewable carbon content, and is 25% lighter and two times as strong. It can be customized in color, hand feel, and nap depending on how the designer prefers to use it.

“This is my first convertible look, and it will give men more options to style their wardrobes in a timeless, sustainable way,” Young said. “Modern Meadow’s INNOVERA™ has the smell, look and feel of luxury and held its form well across my stitching and buttons. Being able to do good by using biomaterials and thinking about my impact on earth is very important to my designs and I look forward to incorporating more of these materials in the future.”

Now until April 6, the exhibition of the finalists’ submissions will be open to the public at SUHE HAUS in Shanghai.