In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Art and Hyundai Motor Group have picked renewable materials as two of the inaugural winners of their Excellence in Sustainability and Creative Practice award.
Open to graduating RCA students only, Ankita Khanna and Yohaan Kukreja received the innovation award for their rice straw-derived biodegradable composite and sheet material specifically designed to make fast fashion footwear production more sustainable. The material could also help address rice straw burning in India, a significant contributor to air pollution in the populous country.
Paul Baule received the Inspiration award for his project ‘Wood You’, an immersive installation serving as a commentary on deforestation in Amazon.