Meet the 2025 Semi-finalists

Wen Hanzhang

Redress Design Award

  • 2025
 Finalist

Meet The Designer

“Sustainability is not just a practice but a mindset—a continuous dialogue between industry, community, and the future we want to create.”
Wen Hanzhang
“Sustainability is not just a practice but a mindset—a continuous dialogue between industry, community, and the future we want to create.”
Wen Hanzhang

Bio

Wen Hanzhang is a Finalist of the Redress Design Award 2025. He holds an MA and BA in Fashion Design from Istituto Marangoni Paris, France, plus a diploma in Fashion Design from LaSalle College, Canada.

Wen Hanzhang was also a Finalist in 2023.

Region

  • Canada

Collection

  • Gender neutral

Design Techniques

  • Reconstruction, Upcycling, Zero Waste

Redress Design Award Collection

Hanzhang’s Redress Design Award collection, ‘Unfolded Atlas’, draws inspiration from cultural patterns and natural elements interpreted through mathematical formulas. The collection upcycles old tents into patchwork with tapes from industry waste and reconstructs secondhand jeans and shirts to create looks that feature topographic patterns. A zero-waste tank top, hoodie, and skirt are scalable in size, offering versatility and inspiring longevity. Designing for recyclability, Hanzhang uses modular construction to allow for worn-out sections to be repaired, modified, or repurposed into new items.

Q&A with the designer

What inspired me to pursue sustainability in fashion was realising that waste is not only a material problem, but a narrative one. Most consumers aren't aware of the stories behind what they wear — the labour, the resources, the impact, etc. This disconnection fuels overconsumption. I wanted to challenge that through storytelling and design.

For my Redress Design Award collection, I started with the idea of representing geographical journeys, especially those shaped by migration, using discarded materials from different sources. This led me to develop patchwork techniques and eventually invent my own zero-waste pattern, combining both concept and craftsmanship.

My Redress Design Award collection is made from discarded or waste materials, including old tents, leftover fabrics from previous productions, and pre-loved garments gifted by friends and community members. I combined upcycling and reconstruction techniques with durable materials, created patchworks and garments that are zero-waste and easy-to-fit, and repurposed creatively the same textile for both structural and decorative functions, such as taping details.

For me, what matters is not just the materials or techniques, but also the coherence between storytelling and design. I strive to align sustainability with a strong visual and conceptual identity. My signature topography patterns and modular constructions run through the collection to create a consistent language that reinforces both aesthetic and intention. The goal is not just to reduce waste but to give each piece a story and lifespan beyond trend cycles, inviting the wearer to form a lasting connection.

My career goal is to contribute to meaningful change in the fashion industry by bridging creativity and sustainability. I will continue to develop sustainably made garments, not only attention-grabbing and awareness-raising runway pieces, but also accessible, responsibly made garments that people can live in and connect with daily.

Beyond designing, I see myself as an advocate. I want to connect the dots between design, ethical production, and conscious consumption, using design as a tool to promote sustainability as more than just a trend, but as a cultural and systemic shift. I also hope to create more educational content, collaborate with communities, and influence customer habits by making sustainable fashion more visible, desirable, and accessible.

My XL recycled shopping bag. I always carry it with me. It’s super handy for grabbing groceries on the go or picking up useful things I find along the way, always ready for whatever comes up.

This is the first collection I’ve developed to be both concept-driven and production-ready. After the Redress Design Award, I’ll work with my factory to produce it using upcycled materials and end-of-roll fabrics. I'm also prototyping recycled plastic trimmings to use in my own work and to offer as sustainable components to other designers. The goal is to firstly experience and test how to scale up a sustainable brand myself, before promoting my circular and responsible model more broadly.

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