Joanne Westwood and Rosie O'Reilly were announced as the winners of the SDC-sponsored essay competition at the RITE Group conference held in London on 10 October 2007.
The event focused on the areas of sustainability, traceability and responsibility in the textile industry and speakers included Joan Ruddock MP (the UK Government Minister for Climate Change, Recycling and Waste), Lord Peter Melchett (policy director of the Soil Association) and representatives from brands such as Marks & Spencer, Levi Strauss, Timberland and Patagonia and was hailed an outstanding success by delegates.
The aim of the SDC-sponsored competition, organised in conjunction with the RITE Group, was to help students become more aware of the issues surrounding sustainable textiles. It certainly seems that eco-matters are important to student designers, and entries were received from a truly international student body.
As part of the sponsorship package, 25 students who entered the competition were invited to attend the conference, all of whom were invited on to the stage at the start of the afternoon session by Richard Blackburn, co-founder of the RITE Group, to each receive eco t-shirts donated by Howies.
The SDC president Adrian Abel then presented the prizes to the UK and overseas winners. He commented, 'It is wonderful that, through this competition, so many students have been able to attend this excellent event. Students are the industry's future and it is very encouraging that sustainability is such a key issue in their work as designers.'
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