Fashion student Kim Linghoff has won the KappAhl sustainable design contest 2017, hosted by Kappahl, a leading fashion chain in the Nordic region. Her winning entry is based on the idea of making use of excess yarn from clothing production to create modern knitted garments. Linghoff will develop her solution together with KappAhl’s design team.

The KappAhl Sustainable Design Contest is a competition for students who would like to get involved in developing the sustainable design solutions of the future. "The winning entry showcases smart design with a view to a sustainable fashion future. Kim’s upcycling idea is playful, tasteful and innovative. We see a lot of potential to create something really interesting with Linghoff," said Maria Segergren, vice president, Assortment and Design.

"This year's winning entry is about upcycling. Kim Linghoff has shown how we can both playfully and tastefully combine newly produced materials with excess materials from previous production to make new and exciting knitted garments. A smart way of breathing new life into waste materials instead of throwing them away," read the jury's statement.

"As a designer, I neither want nor need to choose between sustainability and high fashion. The tops I designed for my entry stand out and demand attention. Sustainable, knitted garments don’t need to be plain, practical things that just hang off you; these are tops that I would want to wear myself," said Linghoff.

The jury for the sustainable design contest consisted of fashion journalist Emilia de Poret; Kate Goldsworthy, senior research fellow at University of the Arts, London and part of Mistra Future Fashion; Maria Segergren, KappAhl’s vice president Assortment and Design; Karin Verdoes, KappAhl’s designer; Lina Nyqvist, KappAhl’s sustainability manager for assortment; and Eva Kindgren de Boer, KappAhl's sustainability manager for production.