Only Natural hosted an awards lunch at the U.S. Embassy London, celebrating its category winners and revealing the winners of the highly-anticipated overall competition prizes.

With the Only Natural 2024 competition officially closed for entries, our shortlists have now been announced, people’s choice voting is underway and our judges are currently choosing their winners!

Following approaches from a number of design students, who are currently busy completing their degree projects, Only Natural has extended the submission deadline to 30th June 2024.

On its mission to challenge the future of design and manufacture, Only Natural teamed up with Wallpaper* magazine to call out for sustainably minded talent.

Introducing Only Natural – an international design competition that dares to redefine the future of fashion and home – challenging students and recent graduates to take inspiration from nature and create bespoke designs using only natural materials.

The Home competition, with two categories – furniture and interiors – is for design students who have a passion for embellishing their living spaces with quality items. Using only natural fibres and materials, craft a home piece inspired by the beauty of nature.

With three categories – apparel, accessories, and footwear – the Fashion competition encourages design students to create fashion items that will be loved and cherished for life. Create a statement piece using only natural fibres and materials and with planet’s future in mind.

Edwin Ryder is the founder of EASTJR Ltd. With nearly two decades of experience working in the construction and design industry, Edwin founded his business to bridge the gap between cutting-edge design and beautifully detailed joinery.

Alex Brownless is the CEO and Co-Founder of Arts Thread and Global Design Graduate Show. He has a diverse fashion consulting experience and has undertaken projects for companies including Banana Republic, Gap and M&S.

Ana Del Rio is an award-winning British/Spanish fashion designer specialised in leathercraft. Intending to lead a leather revolution, through her brand ANA DEL RIO, she focuses on creating timeless contemporary leather garments.

Jens Laugesen is an award-winning Danish fashion designer who has collaborated with a variety of high-profile clients, including Gucci and Calvin Klein. He currently runs a fashion consultancy business and LAUGESEN brand powered by Metaverse.

Nikita stands as a recognised creative leader with a strong fashion expertise. Most recently, he was Head of Europe at The Mills Fabrica – a platform dedicated to accelerating innovations for sustainability.

Grant Gibson is a renowned design, architecture and craft writer whose work has been featured in publications including The Guardian and FRAME. He is also well-known for his podcast and annual design fair, Material Matters, which focuses on material intelligence.

Used by humankind for more than 5,000 years, Cork is waterproof, buoyant and fire resistant. In fact it is one of the most versatile natural materials you can find.

While many designers prefer to work independently, some turn to teamwork – and to great effect! They collaborate with artists and celebrities for limited-edition collections or partner with professionals from different creative subsets when designing complex pieces.

Cultivated by humankind for more than 10,000 years, there are few plants that can be turned into as many types of material as hemp. The variety of purposes of hemp can serve is a gift to designers

When it comes to natural materials, cotton is one of the most adaptable. It can be used to make thin, delicate items such as underwear, in thicker weaves it can be used for comfortable knitwear and if waxed it is ideal for weather resistant outerwear.

Fashion organisations driven purely by profit are highly unlikely to recycle their clothes. It’s too hard and it’s too costly. And the clothes these companies create are not designed to be recycled – again, because it doesn’t maximise profits.

The circular economy is a sustainable and innovative economic model that seeks to redefine the traditional linear ‘take, make, dispose’ model of production and consumption.

We all know about plastic pollution—the microplastics that are shed and the general waste caused. And we know how difficult it is to recycle a product that takes 500 years to biodegrade. But the harm plastics do starts even before they are made.

Take some inspiration from furniture designs that have earned their places in the hearts of all true aesthetes by checking out our selection of classics.

Durable, adaptable and luxurious, mohair is one of the most versatile fabrics available. And, of course, it’s completely natural.

Softwood comes from coniferous trees such as pine, fir, and spruce and is a crucial material in the construction and manufacturing industries. It is lightweight, easy to process, and cost-effective, making it the perfect material for joinery, structural and outdoor building projects.

From cotton towels and crisp cotton sheets to blue jeans and shoelaces, cotton has become the most widely used natural fibre on the planet today. Cotton fibres are strong, easily dyed and are resistant to abrasion wear and high temperatures, making the material the perfect everyday textile.

Renowned for its timeless appeal and natural elegance, linen has captured the attention of prestigious designer labels such as Ralph Lauren, Burberry and Gucci. With its inherent durability, linen stands the tests of time and offers a natural alternative to fast fashion, embodying a perfect blend of sophistication, functionality and sustainability.

Celebrated for both its sustainability and durability, bamboo is becoming an increasingly popular choice for environmentally conscious design. 
From earthquake-resistant construction and curved furniture pieces to handbag handles and organic toothbrushes, bamboo is one of the most versatile, and sustainable, natural materials on the planet.

Popular with the likes of designer brands Vivienne Westwood, Maison Margiela and Marni, wool has become the go-to fibre for stylish, functional and sustainable design.

Wool’s versatility extends from luxury fashion to high-performance activewear, accessories, homeware and everything in between.

From COS shirts and Levis jeans, to BMW performance parts and hemp concrete (hempcrete), hemp offers huge opportunities in versatile and sustainable production. Hemp fibres made the sails and ropes of the ships that first explored the world and early drafts of the Declaration of Independence were even written on hemp paper.

Mohair, often named the diamond fibre due to its inherently beautiful sheen, is a luxurious natural wool used to create products ranging from high end sweaters and winter accessories to upholstery and carpets.

Prada’s signature Saffiano bag, Michael Jackson’s red jacket, Gucci’s Marmont belt – leather has long been central to popular culture. Leather’s qualities set it apart from many other materials. It has exceptional durability, breathability, comfort and recyclability.

Hardwood is considered by many to be the ultimate versatile material. Available in countless combinations of species, specifications and colours, hardwood is both a multifunctional and beautiful natural material.

L&HCA is the voice of the industry in the US, constantly working to advise and drive policy and to champion the interests of the sector.

The Mohair Council of America is dedicated to researching, increasing profitability and perpetuating the sustainable production and use of Angora goats and their so-called ‘diamond fibre’, mohair.

American Softwoods (AMSO) is a promotional partnership formed by three major US softwood trade associations: the Southern Forest Products Association, the Softwood Export Council and the APA, the Engineered Wood Association.

The American Hardwood Export Council is the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry. It represents companies and trade associations engaged in the export of a full range of U.S. hardwood products, including lumber, veneer, plywood, flooring, moulding and dimension materials.

The mission of the National Industrial Hemp Council of America is simple – to educate businesses and consumers on the benefits of hemp, creating the demand needed to drive markets and a well-regulated, standardised industry.

The American Wool Council (AWC) is a division of the American Sheep Industry Association that works to improve the American wool industry and promote the usage of American wool.