Circular Fashion Competition Awards presented at the I love me fair – Winners challenge the idea of disposable fashion
Circular Fashion Competition Awards presented at the I love me fair – Winners challenge the idea of disposable fashion
The winners of the 2026 Fashion Circular Economy Competition are Ninyes, Sustinare and By Hinders, all of whom have demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing circular economy solutions in the fashion industry. Organised by I love me and Jalotus, the competition recognises fashion and textile sector operators that actively utilise and promote circular economy principles in their business. I love me will take place at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 16 to 18 October 2026.
The Fashion Circular Economy Competition, organised for the fifth time by I love me and Jalotus, recognises fashion and textile sector operators that innovatively apply circular economy principles in their business. The competition features two categories: Lifetime Extender and Inspirer. The winners of each category receive a €4,000 recognition award granted by the Finnish Fair Foundation.
In 2026, the Lifetime Extender award was exceptionally shared between two winners, with both Ninyes and Sustinare receiving a €2,000 award. The Inspirer category was won by By Hinders.
The winners were selected by an expert jury comprising Emilia Gädda, the Chief Advisor of Sustainability and Circular Economy, Finnish Textile & Fashion; Pirjo Hirvonen, Professor Emerita of Fashion, Aalto University; Tarja-Kaarina Laamanen, Sustainability Specialist and University Lecturer in Craft Science, University of Helsinki.
WINNERS AND CATEGORIES 2026
1. Lifetime Extender: Ninyes ja Sustinare
A Lifecycle Extender is an organisation that has extended the lifespan of textiles by implementing or developing circular business models or solutions, or by improving the efficiency of textile collection and recycling.
Ninyes provides a resale service for fashion brands, enabling pre-owned products, customer returns and surplus inventory to be brought back into circulation and resold. The service helps extend the lifespan of products while allowing brands to integrate resale into their own business operations.
Sustinare is developing a digital service that connects consumers with tailors and cobblers, making product repairs easier and more accessible. Its goal is to make repair a natural part of product use and maintenance.
Jury statement: Ninyes and Sustinare represent two distinct yet complementary approaches to extending the lifespan of products. Ninyes has made resale a natural part of the fashion industry's business model, while elevating the value and appeal of pre-owned items. Sustinare, in turn, addresses one of the key challenges of the circular economy by making repair services more accessible to both consumers and businesses, while also strengthening the network of skilled craftspeople and repair professionals.
Both organisations drive tangible change in consumer behaviour through practical solutions. The transition to a circular economy cannot rely on a single business model alone; it requires both the reuse and repair of products. Through their respective approaches, Ninyes and Sustinare demonstrate how the value of existing products can be preserved and their lifecycles extended. Both solutions are timely, impactful and highly relevant, which is why the jury decided to share the award between the two organisations.
2. Inspirer: By Hinders
Inspirer is a small or large organisation that has taken an inspiring and forward-looking step in advancing circularity in fashion or textiles. Through its actions, it has demonstrated new ways of promoting a more sustainable and circular future for the industry.
Founded by Jonathan Ingberg, By Hinders is redefining the use of Finnish sheep’s wool in fashion and textile production. By combining high-quality design, local manufacturing and locally sourced materials, the company creates durable products while helping to unlock new opportunities for the Finnish wool value chain and textile sector.
Jury statement: By Hinders stood out for its long-term commitment and ambitious development work. The application particularly impressed the jury with its strong design vision, sustained dedication to development, and ability to bring together domestically sourced raw materials, local production, and high-quality, long-lasting products into a coherent and compelling whole.
The company’s approach spans the entire value chain, from raw material to finished product, demonstrating how a value chain can be built around Finnish sheep’s wool from farm to final product. This holistic model creates new opportunities for the Finnish textile and fashion industry while showing that internationally appealing and commercially viable fashion can be built on the foundation of a renewable domestic raw material.
By Hinders offers an inspiring example of how local resources, craftsmanship and design can be combined to create a sustainable future for fashion and textiles.
Images from the Circular Fashion Competition are available for download: Muodin kiertotalouskilpailu
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Terhi Laine, Communications, Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre, tel. +358 40 626 6447, terhi.laine@messukeskus.com
Anna Evilä, Founder and Creative Leader of Jalotus, Jalotus ry, tel. +358 41 536 2764, anna.evila@jalotus.fi
The Finnish Fair Foundation is a non-profit foundation that supports Finnish expertise and business life, distributing approximately €500,000 annually in grants, scholarships, and recognition awards. Through its funding, the foundation aims to address the significant challenges of our time in areas such as the environment, demographic changes, technology & digitalization, economy, and urbanization. I love me järjestetään Helsingin Messukeskuksessa 16.–18.10.2026. I love me will take place at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 16 to 18 October 2026.
Jalotus is a nationwide sustainable living movement that empowers people to lead rich and fulfilling lives while living within the planet’s ecological boundaries. Read more: www.jalotus.fi
