Styled for Change: Fashion Entrepreneurship Lab

The Styled for Change: Fashion Entrepreneurship Lab challenges students to come up with new ways to turn waste into innovative, sustainable fashion fashion-forward designs. This page outlines the case, timeline, and prizes.

Inaugural Year

Where creativity meets circular business innovation

Organized by: Center for the Business of Sustainability, in partnership with Sustainable Future Leaders

Purpose

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 17 million tons of textiles are disposed of in landfills. The purpose of the Fashion Entrepreneurship Lab is to provide students with an experiential learning opportunity to transform waste into innovative, sustainable fashion. During this activity, students will conceptualize fashion-forward designs with repurposed, recycled, or sustainably sourced materials, paired with scalable, go-to-market business models.

This Year’s Challenge

Student teams will focus on designing fashion concepts that integrate sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurial potential. Teams will be tasked with:

  • Conceptualizing a look or accessory using ≥70% sustainable materials
  • Developing a scalable, supply-chain friendly business model
  • Presenting ideas via sketches, mock-ups, or digital renderings

We believe students bring fresh perspectives and creative solutions to the fashion and sustainability ecosystem, and this competition provides a platform to turn ideas into actionable concepts.

Prizes

1st place: $500  
2nd place: $300  
3rd place: $200   

Contest Timeline 

Milestone Date

  • Registration/Submissions Open Monday, October 13, 2025
  • Registration/Submissions Close Monday, October 20, 2025
  • Finalists Announced Monday, October 27, 2025

Deliverables

Initial Submission

  • YouTube Video (4–6 min) – all team members must participate
  • PowerPoint & PDF Slides – include your presentation materials
  • Team Name Only: Do not include individual names or photos
  • Optional appendix for additional sketches, sourcing info, or reference materials
  • Finals Deliverables (if your team is chosen as a finalist):

Final Showcase (for Selected Teams)

  • Live Presentation (4–6 min) – all team members must present
  • Q&A with Judges (3 min)

Judging Concept: Sustainable Innovation Impact

All entries will be evaluated holistically using the “Sustainable Innovation Impact” framework, which emphasizes:

  • Innovation & Design: Creative, original, sustainable use of materials
  • Sustainability & Circularity: Environmental impact and integration of circular economy principles
  • Entrepreneurial Potential & Scalability: Feasible, market-ready concepts with supply-chain readiness
  • Presentation & Communication: Clear, compelling storytelling
  • Integration & Cohesion: How well all elements work together to form a unified, actionable concept

 

Register Now