The Global Change Award (GCA) 2026, launched by the H&M Foundation, is now accepting nominations for early-stage ideas aimed at reshaping the textile industry toward a net-zero future. This annual innovation challenge supports bold changemakers who seek to transform how fashion is made, used, and valued. Program Director Annie Lindmark highlights that each year brings new challenges, technological breakthroughs, and opportunities, and the GCA aims to uncover disruptive ideas that can address these evolving needs.
The award targets innovations across four main areas: responsible production, mindful consumption, sustainable materials and processes, and Wildcards – unexpected ideas with high transformative potential. Equally important is the changemaker behind the idea, with the GCA evaluating their commitment, initiative, and capacity to turn concepts into tangible impact.
For the second year, the nomination process is supported by a global network of nominators including universities, NGOs, foundations, accelerators, and alumni, as well as partners like Ashoka, Textile Exchange, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Changemakers can also apply directly through The Mills Fabrica, a GCA partner with expertise at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and textiles, which helps identify innovative ideas that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The nomination model has already broadened GCA’s reach, helping to identify diverse profiles including non-profits, researchers, and community-based innovators. Organizers are particularly eager to see submissions in the Wildcards category, which could introduce cross-cutting and unexpected solutions. Potential focus areas include bio-based fibers, circular materials, AI-driven garment design, post-consumer recycling, and localized, demand-responsive manufacturing.
Supporting early-stage innovation is seen as critical, as it is where the seeds of radical transformation begin. By nurturing these innovators, GCA hopes to unlock disruptive technologies and business models that can fundamentally shift industry practices. Organizers emphasize that the journey of the changemakers is as important as the end result, encouraging applicants to embrace authenticity, curiosity, and unique perspectives.
The impact of today’s nominations is envisioned to extend over the next decade. The H&M Foundation aims for a textile industry that thrives within planetary boundaries, promotes human wellbeing, ensures equity, and embeds decarbonization as standard practice. The nomination window for GCA 2026 is open from 1 September to 6 October, inviting innovators and nominators worldwide to step forward with ideas that can transform fashion for people and the planet.
