The Colourist: Winners of Northern Design Competition Heat Announced
Winners of the Northern Region Design Competition Heats announced
We’re delighted to announce the winners of the Northern heat of the International Design Competition.
This year’s competition, ‘Climate Threads’ invited participants to respond to the challenges of climate change through innovative textile design, combining creativity with sustainability and commercial awareness. The Northern heat showcased a diverse and thought-provoking range of work, with students exploring material innovation, storytelling, and responsible design approaches.
The heat winner will now progress to the UK final, where they will compete for national recognition alongside winners from other regions.
Northern heat winner
Huge congratulations to Joe Gurr, whose project Coconut to Concepts impressed judges with its considered and material-led exploration of sustainable alternatives to leather.
Focusing on the evolving definition of luxury, Joe investigated next-generation, plant-based materials, with a particular emphasis on Malai – a biodegradable material derived from waste coconut water. Through a series of practical explorations including printing, weaving, and surface manipulation, the project demonstrated how sustainable materials can move beyond imitation to establish their own distinct aesthetic and functional value.
By combining innovation with a clear understanding of environmental impact, Joe’s work presented a compelling vision for the future of luxury design grounded in material intelligence and responsible sourcing.
Runner-up and highly commended
Congratulations also go to joint runner-up Jasmin Lindo-Clarke (Bradford College) for Where are you from? a project exploring identity, heritage, and the impact of colonialism through woven textiles. And, Isabel Baker (Manchester Metropolitan University) for Faded Threads, which used natural dyes to reflect the effects of coral bleaching while encouraging circular approaches to garment care and longevity.
Highly commended was Tracey Jayne Plummer (Manchester Metropolitan University) for Grow, Gather, Guide. Through a practice rooted in natural dyeing and education, Tracey’s work highlighted the importance of community, knowledge sharing, and soil-to-soil textile processes in promoting more sustainable approaches to design.
Next stage: the UK final
Joe Gurr will now go on to represent the Northern region at the UK final on 15 May, where he will compete against winners from the Midlands and London and Southern heats.
This year’s Northern heat highlighted the depth of creativity and critical thinking across our emerging textile designers, with projects not only responding to environmental challenges but also proposing meaningful, forward-looking solutions for the industry. We extend our thanks to all our entrants for their outstanding contributions and we wish Joe the very best of luck in the UK final.