India Finalists Join International Cohort, Stepping Into Next Phase Of The Challenge
Mumbai, July 31, 2026: The R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge (RCDC), India’s leading global platform for circular innovation in fashion and textiles, presented by Reliance Industries Limited’s R|Elan™, the United Nations in India, and Lakmé Fashion Week, has concluded its global jury rounds with the announcement of the India Finalists, completing this year’s international cohort of innovators redefining the future of circular fashion.
Following a rigorous evaluation by the India Jury, Botto Labs by Nitya Amarnath, pioneering next-generation bio-sequins to replace plastic waste in high fashion; Saloni Jhaveri by Saloni Jhaveri, transforming discarded textiles into innovative design; Duja by Ustat Kharbanda, upcycling post-consumer textile waste into one-of-a-kind apparel; and Margn by Saurabh Maurya, creating contemporary fashion rooted in craftsmanship and circular design, have been selected as the India Finalists of the eighth edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge.
The India Jury brought together an exceptional panel of industry leaders, including Ainee Nizami Ahmedi, Editorial Director, ELLE India & ELLE Gourmet; Shaleena Nathani, Celebrity Stylist & Fashion Consultant; Karishma Shahani Khan, Creative Director, Ka-Sha; Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President – PetChem, Reliance Industries Limited; and Darshana Gajare, Head of Sustainability, Lakmé Fashion Week. Together, the jury represented a powerful convergence of creative excellence, business acumen and sustainability leadership, evaluating breakthrough ideas capable of accelerating the transition towards a circular fashion ecosystem.
Earlier this year, Yoshita 1967 by Anil Padia was selected as the Europe Finalist by the European Jury in Paris. The jury comprised Pascale Mussard, Vice-President, Fondation Hermès and President, Villa Noailles; Katell Pouliquen, Editorial Director, Marie Claire France; Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director, Fondazione Sozzani; Diane Pernet, Founder & Director, ASVOFF; Anne-Gaëlle Lamort, Sustainability Innovation Lead, Kering; and Serge Carreira, Director, Emerging Brands Initiative, Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
In London, RWRK Studio by Farouk Braimoh was announced as the United Kingdom Finalist following evaluation by a distinguished jury comprising Matthew Needham Creative Director, Matthew Needham, Senior Lecturer, Central Saint Martins; Shailja Dubé Institute of Positive Fashion, British Council; Muchaneta ten Napel, Founder & CEO, Shape Innovate; Sevra Davis Director of Architecture, Design & Fashion, British Council and Radhika Kaul Batra Chief of Staff, United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, India.
Representing the Asia Pacific & Beyond region, BYO by Tommy Tedji was named the regional finalist by a jury comprising Christina Dean, Founder, Redress; Hong Zheng, Founder, Greenext; Rina Singh, Founder & Designer, Eka; Jacinta FitzGerald, Chief Executive, Fashion & Textiles New Zealand; and Nicky Mac Callum, Venture Partner, Elaphurus Capital and Founding Member, M Impact Investment Fund.
This year’s edition received over 220+ global applications, with 23 semi-finalists shortlisted across Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia Pacific & Beyond, and India. Following the regional jury rounds, seven global finalists have been selected to advance to the Grand Jury at United Nations House in New Delhi, before presenting their collections at the finale showcase, which will be hosted at the Embassy of France in India during Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in October as part of the India–France Year of Innovation 2026, celebrating the shared commitment of both nations to advancing innovation, creativity, and sustainable design.
The Winner and Runner-Up of the eighth edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge will be announced following the final showcase, marking the culmination of this global journey.
Nitya Amarnath, Founder, Botto Labs, said, “Becoming a finalist is surreal, and it’s still sinking in. I’m genuinely excited to get to know my fellow finalists and mentors, learn from their diverse experiences, explore ideas and be part of the CDC community that’s collectively reimagining the future of fashion.”
Saloni Jhaveri, Founder & Designer of Saloni Jhaveri, said, “When I heard them announce ‘Saloni Jhaveri’, it felt like I was living the dream. The 13-year-old girl who dreamt of this moment, is elated and extremely humbled. And today, as a finalist, I feel one step closer towards fulfilling my purpose. I look forward to being a part of the community that is making a change. I am super excited to be working alongside the wonderful mentors, who I have always looked upto.”
Ustat Kharbanda, Founder, Duja, said, “We’re incredibly grateful and excited to be selected as finalists. It’s a meaningful validation of the work we’re doing at DUJA and reinforces our belief that great design and circularity can go hand in hand. We’re looking forward to learning from this journey and taking our impact to the next level.”
Saurabh Maurya, Founder, Margn, said, “I’m very excited to be selected as a finalist for CDC 2026. This is also really important and special for us because we started our circular journey one year back, and getting selected has also given us the opportunity to be mentored by people whom we have been looking up to for a very long time. We have also improvised our processes, learned business strategy, and understood how to make these circular practices a core part of our system and the design practice that we’ve been doing for the last five years.”
Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President – PetChem, Reliance Industries Limited, said, “Heartfelt congratulations to Botto Labs by Nitya Amarnath, Saloni Jhaveri the founder of Saloni Jhaveri, Duja by Ustat Kharbanda and Margn by Saurabh Maurya on being selected as the India Finalists of the eighth edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge. This year’s Indian cohort was truly exceptional, the creativity, boldness of ideas and commitment to sustainable innovation on display reaffirm India’s growing leadership in circular fashion. At Reliance, we have always believed that lasting change begins with backing innovators willing to challenge convention. Through the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge, we remain committed to nurturing this next generation of talent by providing mentorship, visibility and material innovation to help transform bold circular ideas into scalable business solutions. We look forward to seeing them represent India on the global stage.”
Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Limited, said, “Congratulations to Botto Labs by Nitya Amarnath, Saloni Jhaveri the founder of Saloni Jhaveri, Duja by Ustat Kharbanda and Margn by Saurabh Maurya on being selected as the India Finalists of the eighth edition of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge. Their work reflects the extraordinary calibre of entrepreneurs who are redefining fashion through innovation, craftsmanship and circular thinking. It is encouraging to witness emerging talent creating solutions that are not only creatively compelling but also commercially relevant. We are excited to see them progress to the Grand Jury and continue showcasing India’s growing leadership in circular fashion globally.”
Mr. Stefan Priesner, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India, said, “I congratulate Botto Labs by Nitya Amarnath, Saloni Jhaveri the founder of Saloni Jhaveri, Duja by Ustat Kharbanda and Margn by Saurabh Maurya on being named the India Finalists. This year’s cohort reflects the growing momentum of innovators demonstrating that sustainability, creativity and entrepreneurship can come together to address some of fashion’s most pressing challenges. By bringing together designers, industry leaders and institutions, the Challenge continues to foster collaboration that advances circular solutions and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals. We look forward to seeing the finalists continue their inspiring journeys and help shape a more sustainable future for fashion.”
Bringing together some of the world’s most influential voices across fashion, sustainability, and innovation, this year’s global jury process reflects the Challenge’s growing international stature and its commitment to nurturing scalable circular business solutions that are shaping the future of fashion.
About R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge (RCDC)
Launched in India in 2018, the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge (RCDC) is a globally recognised platform dedicated to discovering, nurturing and accelerating the next generation of entrepreneurs, designers and innovators shaping the future of circular fashion. Developed in partnership with Reliance Industries Limited’s R|Elan™, the United Nations in India and Lakmé Fashion Week, RCDC champions solutions that reduce waste and advance circularity across the fashion and textile industry. Through mentorship, industry access and global exposure, the programme supports emerging talent while fostering innovation, collaboration and systems change. RCDC continues to expand its international footprint across India, Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia Pacific, and the wider global fashion ecosystem.
About R|Elan™
R|Elan™ is the next-gen fabric that has been created from specially engineered fibers and yarns using cutting-edge technological expertise, state-of-the-art R&D, and the robust testing systems of Reliance Industries. These smart fabrics have been designed to enhance comfort and aesthetics, and it is being increasingly sought-after fabric by renowned domestic and global brands, retailers, and apparel manufacturers. The technologies that power R|Elan™ fabric imparts several attributes such as moisture management, odor-free, and thermal insulation while ensuring that they contribute something back to Mother Earth.
About United Nations in India
The United Nations system in India includes 26 organizations that serve in India. The UN entities, under the overall leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, provide strategic support to India to help the country achieve its aspirations to end poverty and inequality and to promote sustainable development, in line with the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goal and India’s ambitious vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. UN India supports the Government and people of India in advancing the country’s ambitious commitments to rapid change and development priorities, including its leadership to enhance resource efficiency across sectors, transition to a circular economy and promotion of sustainable lifestyles. For more information, visit: http://india.un.org/
About Reliance Industries Limited
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 11,75,919 crore (US$ 124.0 billion), cash profit of INR 1,71,258 crore (US$ 18.1 billion) and net profit of INR 95,754 crore (US$ 10.1 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2026. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail, digital services and media and entertainment.
Currently ranked 85th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to be featured in Fortune’s Global 500 list of ‘World’s Largest Companies’ for 2026. The company stands 45th in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of ‘World’s Largest Public Companies’ for 2025, the highest among Indian companies. Reliance has been recognized in Time’s list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2024, marking the only Indian company to have achieved this honor twice. Website: www.ril.com
About the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode
The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) gathers the world’s most renowned luxury and creative houses, selected for their creativity and unique, innovative expertise and savoir-faire, along with the most talented emerging brands. It organises Paris Fashion Week® and Haute Couture Week, structuring the Official Calendars and its adjacent activities. The FHCM serves a dual mission: as a Professional Organisation, it provides services to its Members and represents them within the professional ecosystem and towards public authorities in France and Europe. As an Event Organisation, it aims to consolidate Paris as the fashion capital of the world. Visit us at www.fhcm.paris and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
About The French Institute in India, Embassy of France
The French Institute in India (Institut français en Inde), a section of the Embassy of France in India, is dedicated to fostering meaningful people-to-people ties between France and India.
As the cultural, educational, and scientific wing of the French diplomatic mission, IFI drives a wide spectrum of collaborations. These range from promoting academic and scientific partnerships between universities and research institutes, to advancing student mobility and the learning of the French language. IFI also actively connects artists, scholars, NGOs, entrepreneurs, film professionals, publishers, and institutions across sectors.
At the heart of our mission lies a strong commitment to artistic and cultural partnerships—in performance, literature, cinema, fashion, design, and more. IFI regularly convenes forums, festivals, and debates that bring together the brightest minds and creative forces from both nations.
For more info: www.institutfrancaisindia.in