The four finalists of the SCAP (Sustainable Clothing Action Plan) Extending the Life of Clothes Design Award have been announced. The award challenged designers to address the key reasons for garment failure and the concepts needed to achieve longer life times, as well as to deliver ideas that are fashionable and marketable.

The SCAP ELC Award is delivered by WRAP, the organisation behind the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) and Love Your Clothes, with support from organisations including the British Fashion Council, Innovate UK, and The Sustainable Angle. Entries are being judged on their design process, environmental benefits or reduced impact, innovation, and commercial potential.

The finalists are Gayle Atkins, of Northbrook College Sussex/Marbella Design Academy, Nicholas Fellows, of London College of Fashion, Rhiannon Hunt, graduate of Chelsea College of Art and Design; and Valerie Goode, of Kitty Ferriera.

Gayle’s submission focuses on changing items from one product into another - she outlined a dress that can be transformed into a bag, and Nicholas proposed a children’s wear concept with dissolvable threads that enables consumers to increase the size of the item to accommodate a growing child.

Rhiannon focused on detachable fastenings for ease of size adjustment, and Valerie’s concept offers made-to-measure tailoring for items that are easy to mix and match. Next, the finalists will face a panel of judges where they will be questioned on the inspiration for their submissions, and how they would develop their idea. The winner will receive £5,000 and the opportunity to progress their work and develop it for a commercial market.