A' Design Award opens 2026 entries for circular economy and waste reduction awards

A' Design Award & Competition has opened entries for its 2026 Circular Economy and Waste Reduction Design Awards, with a free preliminary review phase and a September 30 deadline. The program targets designs that cut waste, extend material life and support closed-loop production, with winners set to be announced May 1, 2027.

Why it matters: - The awards put a spotlight on design work that reduces waste, conserves resources and keeps materials in use longer. - Winners can gain international exposure, press support and a package of promotional tools through the A' Design Prize. - The competition may help surface practical circular-economy ideas for manufacturers, brands and policy teams working on resource recovery.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened the call for entries for the A' International Circular Economy and Waste Reduction Design Awards 2026. - The competition is open worldwide to circular economy designers, waste management consultants, industrial designers, product designers, material scientists, sustainable product manufacturers, eco-friendly packaging specialists, recycling facility designers, bio-material experts, environmental policy consultants, supply chain strategists, resource management consultants, circular economy brands, circular economy manufacturers, circular economy professionals, circular economy innovation consultancies, and research and development companies. - Eligible projects include circular economy, waste reduction and resource recovery designs developed within the last 10 years. - Entries are due September 30, 2026. - Results will be announced May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition runs in two phases. - The first phase is free and includes registration and a preliminary score review. - Projects that pass the preliminary stage can move to nomination. - A nominal fee applies for nomination. - The awards welcome upcycled products, reusable systems, remanufactured goods, sustainable packaging, biodegradable materials, resource recovery technologies, waste-to-energy solutions, closed-loop production models and regenerative systems. - Submissions are judged anonymously by an international jury of more than 300 design professionals, industry experts, academics and media members. - Entries are evaluated on resource efficiency, waste reduction, circularity, material recovery, durability, reuse potential, repairability, scalability, environmental impact, innovation and practical implementation. - The professional-edition laureates receive the A' Design Prize. - The prize includes a Design Excellence Certificate, lifetime use of the winner logo, a yearbook of best designs, exhibitions in Italy, an award trophy, an invitation to the A' Design Awards gala night, translation of awarded works into foreign languages, entry to Prime Clubs, and placement in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Circular Economy Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Winners also receive an exclusive interview, a press release and a press kit with design images, designer photos, client logo, high-resolution visuals and portfolio previews. - The press kits are distributed to thousands of accredited press members, and dozens of press partners have already agreed to publish a selection of winning projects. - The press kit preparation, distribution service and A' Design Prize are provided free of charge to laureates. - Circular economy awards sub-categories and descriptions are available in the awards category page at Additional Details. - Registrations can be made at Submit an entry.

Between the lines: - The structure favors early access, since applicants can get a free preliminary score before paying to nominate a project. - The prize package is built around visibility as much as recognition, with ranking platforms, exhibitions and media distribution bundled into the award. - The wide eligibility list suggests the competition is targeting both design-led and engineering-led circular-economy work.

What's next: - Designers and companies can register now and submit eligible work before the September 30 deadline. - Winning projects will be announced on May 1, 2027. - Past winners are available at See past winners. - More information about the broader program is available at A' Design Awards.