2 March 2026: Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and Visa have launched Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway, a programme celebrating and empowering emerging designers to reimagine fashion through innovative circular design. An expert jury joins the programme to review and shortlist applications alongside the official Recycle the Runway Ambassador, Author and Podcaster, Gemma Styles.
Powered by Visa and GFA, the initiative aims to support the transition to a circular fashion system by backing the next wave of creative entrepreneurs who are paving the way to a more regenerative fashion economy. The programme seeks to spotlight creators and their businesses while embracing circular business practices, with finalists receiving financial support and mentorship.
The programme will select 15 winners in total. Ten winners will receive a share of EUR 50,000 to invest in their businesses. Four winners will each receive EUR 10,000, an invitation to participate in Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2026, individual pairing with leading solution providers to co-create a product, as well as expert mentorship sessions, promotional opportunities, and industry recognition. One Grand Prize Winner will receive EUR 20,000 to invest in their business, in addition to the aforementioned rewards.
Applications will be shortlisted and reviewed by an esteemed jury of industry experts, including: Laura Ingham, Deputy Director, Global Fashion Network, Vogue; Kirsty Keoghan, General Manager, European Fashion, eBay; Shailja Dubé, Deputy Director, Institute of Positive Fashion, British Fashion Council; Philip Konopik, Group Country Manager, Nordics and Baltics, Visa Europe. The programme’s ambassador, Gemma Styles, will also serve as a jury member and support the initiative’s mission to spotlight and elevate emerging purpose-led talent.
Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, said: “Through Recycle the Runway, we are proud to support the next generation of creators who are reimagining how fashion is designed, produced, and experienced. This initiative helps turn circular ideas into viable businesses that can shape a more regenerative future for fashion. By connecting creative talent with funding, mentorship, and industry platforms, GFA keeps accelerating the transition towards a more circular fashion system.”
Philip Konopik, Group Country Manager, Nordics and Baltics, Visa Europe, said: “At Visa, we help creators and small business thrive in a circular, digital-first world by pairing secure, seamless payments and commerce solutions with the education, resources and mentorship to turn bold ideas into scalable businesses to help drive sustainable economic growth. Through Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway with Global Fashion Agenda, we’re proud to empower the next generation of creators and spotlight how those purpose-led small businesses can speed the shift to a more regenerative fashion economy.”
The programme is open to creators working in fashion upcycling, textiles, accessories or footwear, and apparel, who have been registered as a business owner for at least one year. Applicants must be headquartered in Europe, operate primarily within Europe, and run businesses aligned with circular activities including resell, repair, rental, refill, return, and redistribute. Shortlisted applicants must be available to attend Global Fashion Summit on 6–7 May 2026 in Copenhagen. View the full Terms & Conditions here.
View more information and application details here. Applications close on 7 March 2026.
For more information contact:
Europe-based applicants only. 18+ only. Applicants must apply on behalf of an eligible business registered and headquartered in Europe for at least one (1) year. To enter: complete the Recycle the Runway application form between 9 February 2026 at 13:00 CET and 7 March 2026 at 23:59 CET. Fifteen (15) finalists will be selected to share a total prize pool of EUR 110,000, subject to the prize structure set out in the full Terms & Conditions. Finalists will be announced online on 9 April 2026, and the Grand Prize Winner will be announced on 6 May 2026 at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen. Selected participants must be available to attend the Global Fashion Summit on 6–7 May 2026. Maximum one (1) entry per person and one (1) prize per person.
Prize recipients must claim their prize by responding to the prize notification within fourteen (14) days of receipt and by providing all information reasonably requested by the Organiser.
By entering, participants agree to the full Terms & Conditions. For full T&Cs, see here.
About Global Fashion Agenda
Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) is a non-profit organisation accelerating fashion’s transformation to a net positive industry. It drives impact by mobilising, inspiring, and influencing thousands of stakeholders across the fashion ecosystem. Since 2009, GFA has been at the forefront of the global sustainability movement in fashion. It brings together leaders at the Global Fashion Summit, advances policy through advocacy and publications, and produces influential thought leadership, including The GFA Monitor, Fashion CEO Agenda, and the Fashion Impact Toolkit. GFA translates insight into action through programmes such as the Global Circular Fashion Forum in key manufacturing regions, delivers accessible educational resources to guide sustainable practices, and helps to scale innovation by connecting companies with solution providers via the Innovation Forum. Partnering with a broad ecosystem of organisations across the value chain, GFA spearheads the fashion industry’s transition to a more sustainable, circular, and responsible future.
About Visa
Visa is a world leader in digital payments, operating in over 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. We leverage our global network to make it easier, more rewarding, and accessible to rethink living choices and accelerate transitions to a more sustainable future. Through solutions, education, and partnerships, we aim to make recommerce simple, desirable, rewarding, and habitual. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere.
