Martan named winner of Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway 2026
Amsterdam-based fashion label Martan has been named the grand winner of the Visa Young Creators: Recycle the Runway programme by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and Visa, according to a press release. GFA is a non-profit organisation focused on making the fashion industry more sustainable. The announcement was made during the Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2026 in Copenhagen.
The fashion brand was selected from a group of emerging designers working with circular business models within the fashion industry. Martan focuses on reusing discarded hotel linen for high-end ready-to-wear collections.
Focus on circular production
According to the press release, Martan's production process includes sorting, dyeing and customising existing textiles. The organisers stated that the brand was selected based on its combination of design quality, a circular business model and the potential to scale the concept further.
As the winner, Martan will receive 20,000 euros for further investment in the company, supplemented by coaching, guidance and international industry visibility. The label will also participate in a co-creation initiative by GFA, along with the four other prize winners. Within this programme, Martan will be paired with Re&Up, a company specialising in recycling textile fibres, to further develop circular design solutions from concept to final product.
The Recycle the Runway programme supports creative entrepreneurs active in circular fashion concepts such as resale; repair; rental; refilling; return systems and redistribution. The initiative aims to help develop circular ideas into scalable business models.
A professional jury, consisting of representatives from GFA, Visa Europe, Vogue, the British Fashion Council and Ebay, selected 15 winners. Five participants received a Prize Winner title and were invited to attend the Global Fashion Summit. Martan was ultimately chosen as the main winner due to its combination of design quality, its circular business model and its potential for further scaling.