Recycle the Runway winner

Amsterdam label MARTAN is one of 15 winners in Recycle the Runway 2026, a circular fashion program run by Global Fashion Agenda and Visa. (globalfashionagenda.org) Global Fashion Agenda announced the winners on April 13, 2026. Five of the 15 were named prize winners and each will receive 10,000 euros, a place at Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2026, mentorship, and a product collaboration with solution providers. (globalfashionagenda.org) One of those five prize winners will be chosen as the grand prize winner on May 6 at Global Fashion Summit and get another 10,000 euros. The program was launched in March 2026 to back Europe-based businesses working in circular fashion. (globalfashionagenda.org) (fashionnetwork.com) In fashion, “circular” usually means keeping clothes and textiles in use longer through repair, resale, reuse, or remaking existing materials instead of relying only on new fabric. Global Fashion Agenda said the program targets designers trying to turn those methods into viable businesses. (globalfashionagenda.org) (fashionunited.com) MARTAN’s model is built around discarded hotel textiles. The Amsterdam brand says it buys bed and table linen that luxury hotels remove from service over small stains or holes and remakes that material into ready-to-wear clothing. (martan-official.com 1) (martan-official.com 2) That pitch has already moved beyond niche sustainability channels. MARTAN has described itself as an Amsterdam-based circular fashion brand, and coverage of its Spring/Summer 2025 collection said it debuted at Copenhagen Fashion Week with garments made from upcycled luxury hotel linen. (martan-official.com) (numeronetherlands.com) The jury for Recycle the Runway included Gemma Styles, Vogue’s Laura Ingham, eBay’s Kirsty Keoghan, British Fashion Council executive Shailja Dubé, and Visa Europe executive Philip Konopik. Global Fashion Agenda said the panel reviewed applications before selecting the 15 winners. (globalfashionagenda.org) The program’s structure shows what backers think young labels need in 2026: cash, manufacturing help, and access to industry stages. For MARTAN, the next date on that path is May 6 in Copenhagen, when one of the five prize winners will move from recognition to the larger award. (globalfashionagenda.org)