Dr. Mohammad Abbas Uddin Shiyak, Associate Professor at Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX) and Consultant at Reed Consultancy, has been named a winner of the Global Change Award 2025 for his groundbreaking idea: the Decarbonization Lab for Textile Process Innovation. He was awarded this honor by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden on October 23, 2025, at Stockholm City Hall, Sweden.
The Global Change Award, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of the fashion industry,” is supported by the H&M Foundation. This year’s competition received 476 submissions from 69 countries, with Dr. Shiyak’s innovative concept standing out for its potential to decarbonize the textile sector by modernizing outdated textile treatments and dyeing techniques.
Dr. Shiyak’s Decarbonization Lab aims to create a dedicated R&D space to pioneer low-emission textile processes. By advancing sustainable treatments and dyeing techniques, this innovation holds promise for reducing the environmental footprint of the fashion industry, particularly in high-emission textile production.
As part of the Global Change Award, Dr. Shiyak will join the yearlong GCA Changemaker Programme, designed to support early-stage innovators and accelerate the real-world impact of their solutions. This program spans three distinct phases throughout the year, providing personal growth, industry immersion, and real-world exposure.
Karl-Johan Persson, Founder and Board Member of the H&M Foundation stated;
To truly decarbonise fashion, we need to reimagine every part of the value chain – from how fibres are made to how garments are reused. These changemakers remind us that transformation starts with imagination and action. Their ideas demonstrate concrete ways to challenge the status quo and move the industry towards a net-zero future.
Phase 1: Personal Growth and Systems Change
Held in London from April 19 to 23, 2025, this phase focused on building relationships with fellow changemakers, developing systems change, and preparing for the challenges of scaling innovations.
Phase 2: Industry Immersion and Connection Building
Taking place in Stockholm from October 20 to 24, 2025, this phase emphasized industry readiness and fostering connections within the textile industry. The culmination of this phase featured an industry summit and award ceremony, where Dr. Shiyak received his recognition.
Phase 3: Real-World Exposure and Graduation
The final phase will be held in Vietnam from January 26 to 30, 2026. This phase will offer visits to factories and production plants, giving Dr. Shiyak valuable insights into the operational challenges and opportunities in the textile industry.
Other Global Change Award Winners and Their Innovations
Dr. Shiyak is part of an exciting group of winners, each contributing a unique solution to decarbonize the fashion and textile industries. Here are the other award winners and their innovations:
Responsible Production
- DecoRpet (China) – A low-temperature decolorisation process that slashes energy use while delivering high-quality recycled PET for new textile production.
Changemakers: Youbing Mu, Xiaobo Wu, and Shuang Su - Thermal Cyclones (United Kingdom) – Revolutionary industrial heat pumps that can replace traditional boilers and reduce energy consumption by over 75%.
Changemakers: James Parkin and Chris Benson - Pulpatronics (United Kingdom) – Metal-free, chipless RFID paper tags made from carbon-based ink, recyclable and cost-effective, enhancing sustainable traceability.
Changemakers: Chloe So and Barna Soma Biro
Sustainable Materials & Processes
- CircularFabrics (Germany) – NYLOOP® tech that recovers high-quality nylon from blended textile waste, closing the loop on one of fashion’s most used materials.
Changemakers: Josephine Mayer, Miguel Chacon-Teran, and Ruben Serrano - A Blunt Story (India) – UNCRUDE® is a plastic-free sole made from bio-based and recycled materials, offering an eco-friendly alternative to fossil-based footwear.
Changemaker: Chandni Batra - Brilliant Dyes (United Kingdom) – Harnessing the power of cyanobacteria to create biodegradable dyes through a low-energy extraction method.
Changemaker: Mohammad Redwanur Rahman - Renasens (Sweden) – Waterless, chemical-free technology that turns blended textile waste into raw materials with no depolymerisation or pollution.
Changemaker: Jade A. Bouledjouidja
Mindful Consumption
- Loom (United Kingdom) – An intuitive tech platform that connects users with designers to upcycle unworn clothes into one-of-a-kind pieces.
Changemaker: Daisy Harvey
Wildcards
- The Revival Circularity Lab (Ghana) – A creative hub in Accra’s Kantamanto Market that turns textile waste into valuable products, empowering artisans and building local circularity.
Changemaker: Yayra Agbofah
The Changemaker Programme
All ten winners will join the GCA Changemaker Programme, which will provide them with tailored support, professional growth, and the tools needed to scale their ideas. The yearlong initiative, delivered by the H&M Foundation with partners Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, is designed to help changemakers grow their impact and shape the future of fashion.
A Path Towards a Sustainable Fashion Future
Dr. Shiyak and the other winners exemplify the next generation of innovators in the fashion and textile industries. Their collective efforts aim to reimagine the fashion system, moving it toward a more sustainable and equitable future. Through their bold innovations, these changemakers are demonstrating how the industry can reduce its carbon footprint while continuing to thrive.
The Global Change Award, entering its tenth year, remains committed to supporting diverse changemakers and driving meaningful, system-wide transformations in the fashion industry. Since its inception in 2015, the GCA has awarded €10 million in grants to support 56 innovations, each playing a vital role in the decarbonization of fashion.
