THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

MUMBAI, JULY 31, 2026

The eighth edition of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (RCDC), a global platform promoting circular innovation in fashion and textiles, has completed its international jury rounds with the announcement of four India finalists who will now join the global cohort competing for the top honours later this year.

Presented by Reliance Industries Limited's R|Elan, the United Nations in India and Lakmé Fashion Week, the challenge selected Botto Labs by Nitya Amarnath, Saloni Jhaveri by Saloni Jhaveri, Duja by Ustat Kharbanda and Margn by Saurabh Maurya as the India finalists following a rigorous evaluation by an eminent jury comprising industry leaders from fashion, sustainability and business.

Botto Labs was recognised for developing next-generation bio-sequins as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic embellishments, while Saloni Jhaveri impressed the jury with innovative designs created from discarded textiles. Duja was selected for transforming post-consumer textile waste into one-of-a-kind apparel, and Margn for integrating craftsmanship with circular design principles in contemporary fashion.

The India jury featured Ainee Nizami Ahmedi, Editorial Director of ELLE India & ELLE Gourmet; celebrity stylist Shaleena Nathani; Ka-Sha Creative Director Karishma Shahani Khan; Reliance Industries Senior Vice President – PetChem Rakesh Bali; and Lakmé Fashion Week Head of Sustainability Darshana Gajare.

The announcement completes the international line-up of finalists after regional selections across Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia Pacific & Beyond. Yoshita 1967 by Anil Padia emerged as the Europe finalist, RWRK Studio by Farouk Braimoh secured the United Kingdom title, while BYO by Tommy Tedji was selected from the Asia Pacific & Beyond region.

According to the organisers, the 2026 edition received more than 220 applications from around the world, with 23 semi-finalists shortlisted across four regions. Following the regional jury evaluations, seven global finalists have advanced to the Grand Jury, scheduled to be held at the United Nations House in New Delhi.

The finalists will also showcase their collections at the grand finale during Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in October at the Embassy of France in India as part of the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, highlighting the two nations' shared commitment to innovation, creativity and sustainable design. The winner and runner-up of the competition will be announced after the final showcase.

Expressing her excitement, Botto Labs founder Nitya Amarnath described the selection as a surreal moment and said she looked forward to learning from fellow finalists and mentors while contributing to a community committed to reimagining the future of fashion.

Designer Saloni Jhaveri said becoming a finalist marked the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream and brought her closer to her purpose of driving meaningful change through sustainable fashion.

Duja founder Ustat Kharbanda said the recognition validated the company's belief that design excellence and circularity can go hand in hand, while Margn founder Saurabh Maurya said the selection acknowledged the brand's year-long circular journey and offered an invaluable opportunity to refine its business strategy under expert mentorship.

Congratulating the India finalists, Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President – PetChem at Reliance Industries Limited, said the exceptional quality of this year's entries reaffirmed India's growing leadership in circular fashion. He said Reliance remains committed to supporting emerging innovators through mentorship, material innovation and global visibility to help transform sustainable ideas into scalable businesses.

Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President at Reliance Brands Limited, said the finalists represented a new generation of entrepreneurs combining innovation, craftsmanship and circular thinking to create commercially viable and environmentally responsible fashion solutions.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in India Stefan Priesner said the 2026 cohort reflected the growing momentum of innovators demonstrating how sustainability, creativity and entrepreneurship can together address some of the fashion industry's most pressing challenges. He added that the challenge continues to foster collaboration among designers, industry leaders and institutions while advancing circular solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Organisers said this year's international jury process brought together some of the world's leading voices from fashion, sustainability and innovation, further strengthening the challenge's global standing as a platform dedicated to nurturing scalable circular business solutions for the future of fashion.