After an exceptional year of entries from talented student designers around the world, we’re delighted to reveal the winners of the Only Natural International Student Design Competition 2026. Our expert judging panel selected winning projects across Fashion and Home, recognising outstanding creativity and craftsmanship..
With winning designs including fine jewellery made from fish scales and a modular lighting system made from bamboo, this year’s Only Natural competition shows young designers leading the way by combining natural materials and innovative design.
This year’s winning projects demonstrate outstanding creativity, craftsmanship and innovation, working with a diverse range of natural materials, from leather and wool to bamboo and fish scales, to showcase the remarkable potential of responsible material design.
Kevin Latner, Vice President for Sustainability for the Leather and Hide Council of America – the Only Natural organisers – highlighted the campaign’s ambition: “Only Natural is unique. Six U.S. natural fibre industries, representing more than $6 billion a year in exports, came together to back this campaign, giving it real scale, real expertise and real focus. The competition is just the start. It’s a serious push toward a necessary rethink in how we approach materials and materiality.”
The winners will now travel to London this September, where their work will be exhibited at the Material Matters Fair during the London Design Festiva (15th-17th September) They will also be celebrated at the Only Natural Awards Evening on 15th September, bringing together designers, educators, industry leaders and representatives from the programme’s U.S. natural material partners.
Meet the 2026 Category Winners
Apparel Winner: LA FENAISON by Eden Cohen
A hand-braided cowhide leather dress inspired by the horse farm where Cohen grew up – traditional haymaking rituals translated into contemporary fashion, LA FENAISON is a celebration of craftsmanship, heritage and the enduring beauty of natural materials.
Created from cowhide leather, the collection draws inspiration from traditional haymaking rituals, translating rural narratives into contemporary fashion. Rich in texture and detail, each piece reflects a deep respect for material, process and longevity.
Blending thoughtful storytelling with refined construction, LA FENAISON stood out to our judges for its originality, elegance and powerful use of leather as a natural material.
Accessories Winner: Shimmer Jewellery by Ana Luisa Braun Rodrigues
Golden grass and naturally dyed fish scales – materials often dismissed as waste – reimagined as fine jewellery exploring Brazilian identity are the key inputs behind Shimmer Jewellery that transforms an unexpected natural material into something precious.
Crafted using Capim Dourado (golden grass), naturally dyed Camurupim fish scales, sterling silver and precision-cut crystal loupes, the collection explores Brazilian identity through traditional craft and contemporary design. Reimagining what is often considered waste, it reveals the iridescent beauty and hidden potential of nature’s overlooked resources.
A thoughtful exploration of value, craftsmanship and circular design, Shimmer Jewellery impressed the judges with its originality and beautiful use of natural materials.
Footwear Winner: MACHO by Islam Nashef
A sculptural mule built by hand-layering vegetable-tanned leather until it takes on the density and structure of wood – a study in craftsmanship as much as design – is the powerful exploration of identity, masculinity and craftsmanship that is MACHO.
Inspired by the exaggerated image of “the macho man”, the design challenges conventional ideas of strength through thoughtful construction and contemporary design while celebrating the enduring versatility of leather as a natural material.
It stood out to our judges for its originality, storytelling and exceptional craftsmanship.
Furniture Winner: Field to Form by Sofia Hollier
A chair built entirely from raw, undervalued British Romney wool and linen thread – fully circular, designed to return to the land at the end of its life, celebrating the quiet beauty of natural fibres and traditional making is the concept behind Field to Form. Made entirely from raw Romney wool and linen thread, the sculptural chair transforms the wool into a durable contemporary furniture piece. Inspired by the organic forms of flocking sheep, it explores the relationship between landscape and material to create a fully natural, circular design that can ultimately be dismantled and returned to the land as fertiliser.
A beautifully considered piece that balances simplicity with innovation, Field to Form earned recognition from the judges for its craftsmanship, sensitivity and elegant use of natural materials.
Interiors Winner: VALAY – Bamboo Lighting by Tanmay Bhavsar
A modular lighting system that turns bamboo’s natural irregularity into a design feature rather than a manufacturing problem is how VALAY – Bamboo Lighting showcases the remarkable versatility of one of nature’s most renewable materials.
Crafted from bamboo, the modular lighting system combines traditional material knowledge with contemporary design, turning bamboo’s natural variation into a distinctive design feature that is both sculptural and functional. The result is a refined exploration of light, texture and craftsmanship that celebrates bamboo’s natural character.
Elegant, thoughtful and beautifully executed, VALAY – Bamboo Lighting impressed the judges with its innovative approach and outstanding use of natural materials.
People’s Choice Winners
People’s Choice Fashion Winner: A Thought That Remains Awake by Ofir Vissel
Chosen by thousands of public votes, A Thought That Remains Awake explores memory, hypervigilance and emotional endurance through handcrafted garments created from cotton, wool and denim.
Combining drawing, embroidery and knitting, the collection transforms personal experiences into wearable emotional landscapes. Through natural materials and meticulous handcraft, the project celebrates clothing’s ability to carry memory, vulnerability and human connection.
People’s Choice Home Winner: Alankara by Saniya Gavankar
Designed to serve as both a statement jewellery box and a standalone showpiece made from sheesham wood, Alankara challenges the trend of disposable interiors. It invites a slower pace of living through its ritualistic use, where the act of storing a precious object becomes a meaningful interaction. It captured the public’s imagination with its elegant celebration of natural materials, craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Thoughtfully created to honour traditional making while embracing modern aesthetics, the project transforms natural materials into a beautifully crafted home object that balances functionality with artistic expression. Through its refined form and careful material choices, Alankara demonstrates the enduring beauty and versatility of nature in contemporary interiors.
To see all the winning designs and meet the designers sign up for tickets to the Material Matters Fair here.
Congratulations to all of our Category and People’s Choice Winners. We look forward to celebrating their achievements in London this September.
