On 23 October at Stockholm City Hall, the global textile community converged in celebration of bold ideas redefining fashion’s future. The annual Global Change Award—run by the H&M Foundation—honoured ten trail-blazing innovations aimed at decarbonising the fashion industry and accelerating equity across supply chains.
Among the winners, Bangladesh made a proud mark as Dr Mohammad Abbas Uddin from the Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX) secured recognition for his project titled “Decarbonization Lab for Textile Process Innovation”. The facility bridges academic research and factory practice in low-emission dyeing, finishing and textile treatment—putting Bangladesh on the map for sustainable textile innovation.
The 2025 winners were chosen from submissions spanning 69 countries, each receiving a grant of €200,000 along with access to the year-long GCA Changemaker Programme—providing mentorship, industry access and a systems-thinking approach to scale impact.
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The evening underscored a pivotal message that when science meets creativity and collaboration, the vision of a net-zero fashion industry is already in motion. From improved dyeing processes and circular materials to equitable supply-chain innovation, the GCA winners reflect system-wide transformation rather than incremental change.
For Bangladesh’s textile ecosystem—spanning students, professors, professionals and factory partners—Dr Abbas Uddin’s success is a beacon of what academic-industry partnership can achieve. It signals the country’s growing capability to contribute meaningfully to global sustainability goals in textiles.
