The Global Change Award (GCA) 2026./Photo courtesy
The search for bold ideas that could reshape the future of fashion is on once again.
The H&M Foundation has opened nominations for the Global Change Award (GCA) 2026, its annual innovation challenge that champions changemakers working to transform how clothes are made, used, and valued.
Every year, the award seeks to identify innovators who are pushing boundaries in a rapidly shifting world.
The 2026 categories reflect the breadth of challenges facing the fashion industry today: responsible production, mindful consumption, sustainable materials and processes, and wildcards – radical concepts that could surprise the industry and spark systemic change.
Programme Director for Innovation at the H&M Foundation, Annie Lindmark, said the competition reflects not only the need for solutions but also the dynamism of the times in which they are launched.
She explains that the context never stands still, and each new round reveals how much has shifted since the last.
“Each new year when the nominations open, so much has happened in the world since the last round; we see new challenges, needs, technological break throughs and opportunities. I’m always curious to see the potential that’s out there, and the new disruptive ideas that passionate changemakers are sitting on right now.”
What Global Change Award is Looking For
The four focus areas offer innovators different entry points to contribute to change.
- Responsible production calls for rethinking the way clothes are manufactured, tackling issues of waste, energy use, and labour practices.
- Mindful consumption explores how societies value and use fashion, encouraging business models and cultural approaches that move away from disposability.
- Sustainable materials and processes opens the door for breakthroughs in fibres, recycling, and new technologies.
Finally, the Wildcards category deliberately leaves space for unexpected, unconventional solutions that could spark transformation.
For Lindmark, however, the process is never just about the ideas themselves.
She underlines that the individuals and teams behind these concepts are equally important because their drive and commitment often determine whether innovations move beyond theory into practice.
“The changemaker is the heart of the Global Change Award,” Annie explains.
“We look equally at the idea and the team behind it. What matters is their commitment, their capacity to follow through, and their initiative – that ability to translate intentions into action.”
How the Nomination Process Works
This year marks the second time the award will run through a nomination-based model.
Rather than relying solely on open applications, GCA now draws on a global network of nominators that includes universities, NGOs, foundations, accelerators, and alumni.
The aim is to uncover talent that might otherwise go unnoticed, ensuring that the award reflects diversity in ideas and backgrounds.
Partners such as Ashoka, Textile Exchange, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation help GCA reach innovators across different regions and disciplines.
Their involvement reflects a recognition that groundbreaking solutions can emerge in contexts far beyond the traditional start-up ecosystem.
Speaking about this role, Cintia Nunes, General Manager and Head of Asia at The Mills Fabrica, says the most exciting part of the process is seeing purpose-driven innovators who are unafraid to challenge entrenched norms.
“We are truly excited to see creative, resilient, and purpose-driven innovators stepping forward – especially those with a deep-rooted commitment to driving impact at scale and a willingness to challenge the status quo.”
Lessons Learned and Hopes for This Year
The shift to a nomination-based system has already shown its value by broadening participation.
Instead of focusing narrowly on entrepreneurs, the award has started attracting a wider range of applicants, including researchers, non-profits, and grassroots innovators.
For Lindmark, this is central to the spirit of GCA.
“We’re quite different from a typical start-up accelerator. We’re not looking only for entrepreneurs we also want to find non-profits, researchers or community-based innovators who might not normally think of themselves as winners in an innovation challenge.”
Looking ahead, Lindmark hopes the Wildcards category will inspire even more creativity.
This space is designed for ideas that break with expectations and offer new ways of thinking about fashion’s future.
Nunes points to emerging areas where innovation is urgently needed, including bio-based fibres, circular materials, AI-driven garment design, post-consumer recycling, and robotics for localised, demand-responsive manufacturing.
She stresses that supporting early-stage innovators is crucial for unlocking technologies and business models capable of fundamentally shifting industry practices.
“Supporting early-stage innovation is essential because it’s where the seeds of radical transformation begin,” Cintia says. “By nurturing early-stage innovators, we help unlock disruptive technologies or business models that can fundamentally shift industry practices.”
Eligibility and Global Reach
The Global Change Award is a truly global opportunity.
Individuals and teams from any country can participate, and ideas may come from entrepreneurs, non-profits, researchers, or community-based innovators.
Applicants do not need to have a registered business; the award is open to anyone with a bold, early-stage solution capable of transforming the fashion and textile sector.
Whether applying directly or being nominated through GCA’s global network, innovators must present solutions that are novel, scalable, and impactful.
The award values both the originality of the idea and the commitment of the team behind it.
This inclusive approach ensures that groundbreaking ideas from unexpected corners of the world can gain visibility and support.
Looking to the Future
Both Lindmark and Nunes see the award as a long-term investment in the industry’s evolution.
Lindmark envisions a decade in which the innovators selected today help build a textile industry that operates within planetary boundaries while supporting human wellbeing.
“In 10 years, I hope the changemakers we select today will have helped build a textile industry that thrives within planetary boundaries and supports human wellbeing. An industry where decarbonisation is a given, equity is embedded, and innovation is inclusive.”
“Above all, I hope they will have shifted the mindset of the industry – influencing how we define progress and transforming not only the innovation landscape but also the way we think, collaborate and lead,” Lindmark added.
Nunes encourages applicants and nominators to approach the process with courage and curiosity. She believes that the journey itself is transformative and that diverse perspectives are a source of strength.
“Be fearlessly authentic and relentlessly curious. The journey is as important as the destination – embrace it, and never underestimate the power of your unique perspective.”
How to Take Part
The nomination window for the Global Change Award 2026 runs from 1 September to 6 October 2025.
Innovators can be nominated by GCA’s global partners or submit proposals directly through The Mills Fabrica, which will nominate the most promising candidates.
The H&M Foundation hopes this process will continue to uncover ideas that can fundamentally reshape fashion for a world in urgent need of sustainable solutions.
By supporting early-stage changemakers, the award fosters innovation that is inclusive, impactful, and ready to scale.
