A' Design Award opens 2026 call for circular design entries

A' Design Award & Competition has opened entries for its 2026 Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, Restore, Repair and Upcycle Design Awards, a global competition focused on circular solutions that extend product life and cut waste. The deadline is Sept. 30, 2026, with winners announced May 1, 2027.

Why it matters: - The awards put a spotlight on circular design work that can reduce waste, recover materials and extend the useful life of products. - Winners can gain international visibility through prize packages, press distribution and exhibition opportunities in Italy.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened its call for entries for the 2026 A' International Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, Restore, Repair and Upcycle Design Awards. - The competition is open worldwide to eco-conscious brands, designers, artists, repair specialists, manufacturers, consultants, researchers and other circular economy professionals. - Eligible work includes projects developed within the last 10 years. - The entry deadline is Sept. 30, 2026. - Results will be announced on May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition uses a two-phase process with a complimentary preliminary evaluation before nomination. - Projects that pass the preliminaries can move forward to nomination, which carries a nominal fee. - Entries are reviewed anonymously by an international jury of more than 300 experts. - Judging criteria include resource efficiency, material recovery, durability, innovation, practical impact, circularity and design excellence. - Eligible submissions include recycling processes, repair systems, reuse technologies, restoration methods, upcycling solutions, repurposing strategies and waste reduction innovations. - The awards page lists sub-categories and details at Additional details. - Registrations can be made at Submit an entry.

Between the lines: - The competition is built to reward projects that turn circularity into measurable design value, not just environmental branding. - The jury structure and anonymous review are meant to support credibility across a broad mix of design and engineering disciplines. - The prize package is as much about promotion as recognition, with a trophy, certificate, yearbook inclusion, exhibitions, rankings, translation and media materials. - Winning entries also receive an interview, a press release and a press kit with images and supporting assets.

What's next: - Designers, brands and other eligible applicants can register now and submit work for preliminary review. - Laureates will receive the A' Design Prize and associated publicity tools after the final results are announced. - Past winners are available at View past winners.

The bottom line: - A' Design Award is using its 2026 circular design competition to elevate reuse, repair and upcycling as commercially relevant design disciplines, with entrys open now and results due in 2027.