“...addressing the social issues surrounding the homeless community in Leeds and how they are often treated as second class citizens. We think this project is important in showing that there is more to life than just living and that creative expression can be a valuable healing and communicative tool. It is important to treat all members of our society as important and this project and the work that would theoretically emerge from it will influence new thinking towards the homeless community and the potential within them.”

“The aim is to engage with an audience through behavioural sustainability methods to encourage them to recycle without directly telling them to. This also helps reduce food waste and helps make the University a greener space. It would be placed outside the cafeteria entrance as a convenience for people to easily deposit into the compost bins.”

“MindMats is a real life living breathing project that could not exist without the people that are contributing their stories to it. MindMats has been a successful so far, due to it giving people a unique platform to interact with each other. This is forming a community of support for one another that is readily and easily accessible. Our aim is to create interesting, aesthetically pleasing content that provides practical tools to help people improve their mental health.”

“To explore Biophilic Design and the direct involvement of natural materials in textile design, eco-printing techniques were explored to capture natural forms and textures upon the material. This process involves wrapping leave and plants within the fabric during the dye process so that the tannins within the leaves naturally stain the fabric. Importantly, any leaves and plans used were harvested carefully, using only fallen leaves as opposed to picking living, valuable materials.”

“Analogue Connectivity is a conceptual, investigative project highlighting the need for reconnection with ourselves, materials and nature, in order to be sustainable in a digital age... This project explores the extent of which we can be sustainable alongside digital advances, and takes the angle that in order to be truly sustainable, we must slow down and build deeper relationships with the materials we encounter on a day-to-day level.”

"To raise awareness of sloths as a species and the dangers they face in the wild, I have created a short, full-colour zine for people of all ages. It includes facts about sloths' anatomies, behaviours, habitat and predators, delivered in an informal yet humorous way. In addition, there are details of how the general public can help preserve and protect the species, including adoption sites and a list of where to find sloths in the UK." 

To buy your own copy click here.

Runner up

“NOXIOUS Magazine addresses the environmental pillar. My campaigns clearly display how the textiles and fashion industries are effecting the environment. Alongside my imagery, I have included text which states real statistics on the pollution caused by these industries in damaging the world environment ranging from water, air and land.”

Click here to view the full digital version.

"s p a t i a l exploration : is a gender neutral zero waste collection. I want to bring awareness, reconnect design with making and help eliminate fabric wastage within the fashion industry. Using zero waste pattern cutting to create my collection has challenged me to adapt and develop a whole new approach to design and thinking, sustainability has always been a key feature within my previous projects, discovering that the industry I was going into was the second most harmful industry in the world, encouraged me to find a less harmful path."

“I set out to show different issues to do with plastic consumption and hopefully, by seeing the start to end of its lifecycle, this will encourage people to consider making small changes to their lives and consider alternative ways to buy products and reduce plastic. I think it is important not to pin the blame on just one area of the plastic world and look at small solutions for each part of the problem.”

“The aim of this zine is to try open people’s viewpoint on what the word working class means and hopefully create a discussion around the topic of how class is represented and why is it so important. I tried to show this from the title- Working Hard, Hardly Working - which represents the different ways the working class has and continues to be seen...”

To view the full online zine click here.

EARTHS CRUST 2050

"If future generations excavated the earth’s crust would they find a molten layer of plastic running through the world’s fault lines like a neon lava? This piece has been created to depict such an image, highlighting the effect waste plastic is having on our planet."

“In this world of high paced creativity, there is simply not enough time to carefully consider the products or processes being used. The push towards sustainable practice in the design world is ever- present, yet the systems we work in do not always allow us to fully consider the implications of our designs. The work submitted here, is an attempt to change this system - an attempt to do the hard, laborious, work of research and informed experimentation, to act as a reference chart for future work.”

"The Floating House of the Future shows a world in which we could potentially be living in, one day. The house I am selling is designed to float on water, which would survive floods, due to increased rainfall, from the one thing many fear, climate change. At least, I hope many are aware of it."

“This work of mine I feel addresses the issues of sustainability as it encourages the use of second hand clothing as a way in reducing fast fashion.  At least on item of clothing the models are wearing I bought from a charity shop, “weigh and pay” or clothes fair. I wanted to show the benefits of wearing second hand and the effects mass production of clothes can have on the environment and the exploitation of low paid workers.”

"This collection is inspired by wellbeing and reintroducing nature into the home. In today’s society people are feeling overwhelmed by the fast paced development of technology and as a result are trying to reconnect with a slower pace of life. Wellbeing is an ever-growing trend within all aspects of people’s lives today. Getting the chance to distance ourselves from technology and reconnect with nature is becoming more and more appealing."

“Period poverty is an issue that deserves to be widely understood by politicians and the public. More donations of sanitary products to food banks, reductions in tax paid and making them freely available in schools could all be sustainable ways of ending period poverty in the UK.”

“ZERO TO TEN is a modern forward thinking fashion brand that embraces zero-waste principles to create fashion forward, multi-functional sustainable products. The aim of the brand is to create unique, minimal and contemporary garments that can be worn and styled in 10 different ways.”

“Designers often work in teams and I want to reflect that in my workshops because it is like the old days when communities would share ideas, items and hardly throw things away. It’s about educating young children to be influenced by this and carry the same design ethics forward in their lives. Upcycling workshops has economic benefits because the industry is doing very well. Upcycle designers are turning trash into treasure and as a result are having successful businesses.”

"I intend my work to generate new ways of thinking by getting people to become more aware of how plastic can be reused. I intend to show how recyclable plastics can be re-appropriated and formed into other uses such as furniture. I want my work to raise awareness not only of the plights of our environment but also how people can have a positive impact."

" We wanted to make an informational video about how plastic is being dealt with by shops currently. Although we hear much about the damage that is being done by plastic, it is also important to look at what is being done, and what more can also be done to create a more sustainable way of living. We contacted about 13 different companies and shops though had little response."

“An atmospheric shoot that is totally inspired by Lottie’s zero waste garments. I wanted to create a shoot that captured the feelings of naturalness, space and motion, all elements that inspired Lottie to create her sustainable collection. The abstract direction allows the garments many shapes to be seen, how at every angle, a new fold or seam appears and that really excited us whilst shooting, we could never predict how each pose was going to affect how the garments looked, creating fresh dynamics in every picture.”

Runner Up

“Our oceans are heavily polluted with plastic from our throw away culture, which has devastating effects on marine life. I designed this poster to help bring to light quite how devastating that effect is. I wanted to use the format of a traditional/vintage ocean species poster, to try and engage viewers with a familiar and nostalgic approach.”

"I feel strongly that in our political and social climate the wearing of fur is cruel, unnecessary and economically and socially non-viable; I wanted my piece to reflect these concerns. The wearing of fur can feel out-dated in our society… My piece represents the opposite of luxury; discomfort, awkward weight, fur made rough and itchy."

“I created a new wetsuit collection and campaign called ‘Plastic’, for a women’s surf wear brand ‘M155EVD’. The new campaign focused on saving our ocean with the invention of the new plastic bag – an added accessory to the wetsuit.  The invention of the plastic bag allows customers to collect ocean plastic when out in the sea. This bag will not only help protect marine wildlife but also make a surfer’s playground a more enjoyable environment to surf in. If we can have bins on land then why not have them in the sea?”

Winner!

"The documentary about Henrietta Lovell, founder of Rare Tea Co., highlights many issues about teas and how a tea business could be run differently that would benefit both consumers, farmers and the environment. The audience does not only learn about tea trades from the documentary, but it is also aimed to inspire people who want to start their own businesses to consider ethical and sustainable impact..." To watch ‘The Tea Lady’ click here.

"The project addresses the issue of sustainability by using waste material from manufacture that may otherwise end up in landfill or littering the streets. It challenges today’s 'throw away' society and insatiable consumer demand for new products, demonstrating that so called waste can be transformed into unique objects of beauty and practicality. The work is centred around changing the perceptions that drive this way of thinking and the ongoing cycle of consuming and throwing away resources."

“My sustainability issue I have identified is plastic in the ocean and how it effects the animals. If it effects the animals in the ocean it will eventually affect us. I've created a series of illustrations of sea animal skeletons in a scientific and illustrative way.”

“This essay considers the links between sustainability and conservation, as they relate to touch within museums and galleries. Two recent media events have highlighted the tensions between improving accessibility by allowing visitors to touch objects and the need to look after artworks and objects for future generations.”
To read the full essay click here.

“The work looks at how human behaviour is drastically changing the planet, specifically looking at the effect on ice sheets melting. Using formal qualities found in climate change, such as the shape of the ice sheets,  I have constructed a piece of work that uses aesthetic value and contemporary materials. Reflecting human behaviour matched with naturally sourced materials to address the idea of harmoniously working with the planet to slow down climate change, humanising the scale of the problem.”

“People see plastic bottles everyday whether in the street or the issue being shown in the news, but it will not go away until people make changes. The government are slowly putting together different laws and to try combat this and reduce the plastic usage.”

“My garment is designed to be beautiful, and to cause those who see it to question and change their actions as a consumer of fast-fashion. It is designed to educate people in the importance of the preservation of our beautiful planet for generations to come.”

“All writable pages of the notebooks are made from the inside of toilet rolls collected from my student house and the front covers are made from daffodils that had been bought for me and were starting to wilt… The series celebrates new beginnings in the symbolism of the new season through the iconography of daffodils. Appreciating paper, it celebrates it in a mindful way. It is important to be a conscious consumer in the world today and my books encompass that.”

“Marine Pollution is a worldwide problem affecting beaches, waterways and oceans. Living organisms, particularly marine animals, are affected through entanglement, ingestion of plastic waste and through exposure to chemicals within plastics that cause interruptions in biological function.”

“I took a selection of widely available household waste products which I split into three categories; paper, plastic and food/organic. By experimenting with these materials using techniques such as blending, merging, melting, and strengthening I tried to make a new raw material out of it. Some samples worked better than others but through trial and error I made a small collection of new raw materials out of products that would usually be classed as waste and thrown away.”

“Our planet is beautiful and our actions as habitants of this planet are deeply destructive and if we don't change how we are living we are going to completely destroy it. I was shocked to discover that animal agriculture is one of the leading contributors to how fast climate change is happening. I constantly try my hardest as an individual to bring awareness to other people because I have learnt that others are simply not aware of the facts and dangers.”

“I crafted a beeswax candle with wicks built in the branches for it to burn. The tree metaphorically represented nature whilst the flame signifies human activity, and as it destructively melts it is creating new forms showing the ever-changing environment of our planet. My intentions are to educate the seriousness of this matter and leave a mark, inspiring people to change their day to day life and live in a more sustainable way.”

“Using a sustainable material which can be broken down and re-formed several times is beneficial, addressing environmental and also economic outcomes. This approach to designing with cork elongates the life of the product and therefore reduces negative impacts, such as air travel and landfill.
As creatives, we have a duty to design for the future, not just the present, giving equal consideration to the social, economic and environmental impacts of our work rather than focusing on the aesthetic.”

“I hope to convey the relationship of ageing in the environment whether that’s the rusting of a man-made material or the natural age rings within a tree. The process of decay in everyday life is what ultimately links the two as everything is temporary.”

“Created for a conceptual travel company ‘Tripper!’, I have created a day pack for travellers that aims to aid people in cutting down on waste, particularly plastic waste that is detrimental to the environment. Within this, a fold out poster zine is included that discusses sustainability issues related to South-East Asia…”

“This is the world of Whistle-Stop Thistle. Created for a children’s book, this scene and the model characters inside it were made to be photographed, a puppet storybook in which the pages are rich in depth and detail. The story tells of the resourceful people who live in Whistle-Stop Thistle (Thistle-folk), and how they try to find uses for the human rubbish brought to them by a friendly magpie. The story attempts to encourage imagination and creative recycling in communities, which is especially relevant in today’s throw-away society."

“Everything is mass produced, with a short life span and an ever changing ideal. This has brought to us fast paced fashion and a throwaway attitude that is at the route of many problems within the fashion industry. The aim of my piece is to bring awareness to this issue, with the hopes of inspiring a new trend in recycling and upcycling. My piece demonstrates a design inspired by samples which were made up of second hand clothes from charity shops. All of the samples made were done using 100% cotton, which means they can be recycled after use.”

“Across multiple industries, accessibility and all-inclusiveness to consumers has become an increasing focal point. In the textile industry, there appears to be a lack of all-inclusive and accessible pattern and print. In response to this, my entry aims to demonstrate and provide print and pattern that is universally accessible to all ages and genders, exploring socially sustainable design.”

“What started as a borderline fanatical showcase of the beauty in print, turned into an objective review of the possibilities brought by the digital age, because of one simple fact: print is not dying… It is my hope that, by setting a clear example of successful innovation, I speak truly to the forecasted longevity of print. It’s true, printmaking has an extensive history of cultural and societal reformation, but, while it may no longer sit in the limelight of industry, it is still witnessing use as a mechanism for cultural expression; arguably much more of a beautiful function.”

“Our attitude towards how we treat the planet is very important and to be surrounded with natural imagery reminds us of how we need to work with nature instead of against it. This work addresses the environmental issues in today’s fast consumer driven industry by looking at how you can use direct nature to colour fabric without the need of harmful, polluting synthetic dyes.”

“We are reaching a point where it is no longer sustainable to carry on like this. Life is to be lived, not suffered in misery of the modern age standards. If nothing changes in the near future the problem will grow bigger and bigger to a point when mental health services will be stretched massively compared to its already crippling services and funds.”

“The aim of this project was to bring the reality of pollution in our exterior environment, into interiors. To do this, I started to look at how bathroom tiles could be made from discarded milk bottles and how print designs could directly be generated from photographs of oil pollution. Colours featured were based on feedback from a survey asking people what hues reminded them of pollution.”

“I chose to focus on the downfall and demise of a space, noticing parallels between Dalby Forest and other contexts such as Colony Collapse Disorder a condition that leads to the death of bee colonies across the world… Dalby Forest’s survival is completely dependent on human control and interference, and so my sculpture has been split into strict sections, each one having undergone a method of ‘torture’ or a damaging process that leaves a permanent disfigurement to a now dead disfigured branch.”

“I’ve identified the effects that global warming has on the ice caps. Focusing on how pollution from cars in particular can harm the environment in which the polar bear and penguin reside. I am showing this sustainability issue through illustration with a digital art approach…”

“I decided to explore the issue of capitalist commodification of fourth-wave Feminism by fashion retailers, with a focus on the hypocrisies that emerge when Fast Fashion retailers sell t-shirts proclaiming to be feminist, aligning themselves with the recently marketable image of feminism while still maintaining antifeminist and unsustainable practice within their business.”

“For this years sustainability awards I created a large study of what sustainability means to me and other young people in the community. I wanted to explore how young people view our world in a sustainable way and present it visually as a 100% repurposed piece. All materials included the paints were second hand or about to hit the land fill.”

“Researching into sensory impairment and spectrum disorders and looking at how individuals with these disabilities suffer in interior environments due to the unsympathetic design, I have tailored this project for human design, considering the effects of acoustics, textures, colours, movability and flexibility of space. I have created samples that work as a cohesive collection, design for application on room dividers, wall hangings and floor coverings in order to create a flexible space where individuals can use them to alter their environment to suit them.”

“I went to HLN plastics on the outskirts of Leeds city centre... These objects and accessories have been made out of entirely re-used acrylic. I am inspired and driven by creating beautiful aesthetically pleasing pattern and 3D forms, out of something that would have been thrown away. This project made me realise how much material artists and designers can use its just about approaching and searching for the larger sources that are throwing away plastic and other waste every day.”

“Fabrics with mixed fibres can’t biodegrade, meaning they will eventually end up in landfill. This is a huge issue causing excess waste which affects many communities by polluting the land. I looked at making my own fabrics from 100% wool which I sourced by using Abraham Moon scraps from their mill in Guiseley. I dyed the wool naturally, using as little water as possible”

“The image records five aluminium Carling lager cans discarded on a grass verge by a lay-by in a beautiful, rural part of North Yorkshire.  I spotted them dotted around and collected them on the same day but they appear to have been disposed of on different occasions over a long period of time, as suggested by the decay to the rust stage.  The image demonstrates the stages that aluminium has to progress through before it shows any signs of deterioration and even then, does not look like it will meld back to nature at any time soon or in any sustainable way.”

“The problem that I have chosen to address in my piece is the issue of leaving lights on unnecessarily. I think that this is an important aspect of life which affects everyone regardless of social status, which makes it relevant to everyone. In addition, it is something that isn’t exclusive to being at home, but can be applied to other locations, such as at university. This topic is incredibly important because it wastes electricity, needlessly adds to light pollution, and negatively effects your wallet.”

“My submission for the Sustainability award is based on the abandoned Queensbury Railway Tunnel, Bradford, and why it should be renovated and reopened as a cycle path. Road traffic in Bradford produced around 66,700 tonnes of CO2 (2016-2017). Although this figure is an improvement on previous years, cycling could reduce this figure significantly… Cycling is a great way to get people active and a cycle tunnel on your doorstep provides a safe place to do just that.”

“The idea of using architecture as a abase for patterns was to get people to start looking at their surroundings in a different way and begin to appreciate the beauty which can be see all around. In beginning this journey of visual appreciation this would hopefully start to infiltrate people’s lives, encouraging them to look after the environment around them…”

“The use of polystyrene is not having as many cuts or recognition for its impact that it has on the environment. Also known as Styrofoam, Foamed Polystyrene takes the same amount of time to biodegrade as plastic. However, most councils do not provide recycling for Polystyrene, making its impact on the environment alarming… The cup in this image will be on our planet for a minimum of 500 years, it is our responsibility to make sure that it can become apart of our sustainable living.”

Runner up

“My project focused on plastic milk bottles and how to utilize them because they are something that people use all the time and can easily identify with. If you can make something useful from a material that is so familiar then that starts a discussion about plastic and allows people to broaden their minds and consider the wider possibilities of reusing other types of plastic.”

“My project discusses the extent to which the visual appeal, particularly the colour, of packaging can be used beneficially to promote sustainability… I considered the degree to which consumers are influenced by the sustainability of a products packaging, and how they can be manipulated by the use of colour and design. This project also investigated the necessity of packaging, and the potential for a product to be packaging free.”

“I created my own brand ‘NKD’ specialising in zero waste cosmetics. I chose the name NKD to represent naked aka zero waste, zero packaging… Waste management is something that effects everyone in the UK which is why it stood out to me to choose this as my issue, without cutting down on the waste we produce we will soon live in a society of landfill. Not only is the issue with the stuff we throw away but also withe the amount of reusable materials we discard.”

Winner!

"Shifting baseline syndrome and selective blindness underpin my final solution that has come about through extensive experimentation and research and talks with ecologists about subjects such as ecological networks… Constructed from both recycled and sustainably sourced materials, which I have left in their raw state with no varnishes or coatings. The time-based media side of my work uses minimal power and can be run purely on rechargeable batteries if needed."

Runner up

“Kind was created in response to the growing issue of the over use of packaging. Many items are sold in stores wrapped in unnecessary layers of plastic. This typeface was designed to help minimise the amount of ink used in printing, and therefore helps the user to easily access the process of eco-friendly printing.”

“My piece is centred around racism, focusing on the opinion of some older generations and having a knock-on effect to the younger generations. Within this piece you can see a variety of people which represents all the different ethnicities. Everyone is smiling in the end picture as I would like people to take on this action. I believe a simple smile can change people perceptions.”

"I did a lot of research into the existing portable and collapsible shelters, to figure out a better mechanism for a shelter that would serve their needs, a place that is warm and comfortable and allows the homeless to sleep in a safe place. My work primarily focuses on creating a shelter that is durable and easy to assemble with a very simple mechanism."

"This piece looks to equip students from Leeds Art’s with the awareness and knowledge of environmental sustainability. The visual and description attached encourages student engagement by making them aware of their individual collective responsibilities, in regards to environmental sustainable practice. By reading the description it is clear that it attempts to ensure effective participation, by making the methods of achieving environmental sustainable practice relative and achievable to the specific demographic."

“My main aim through the work produced is to educate and make people reflect on current unsustainable models, habits and structures, and for them to see a possible dystopia to motivate people to question industries. Working towards their own sustainable carbon foot print.”

"I wanted to change people’s perception on ocean plastic and how it can be tackled, by not necessarily viewing it as a negative and harmful substance but instead by giving it a new identity, through recycling… To encourage people I created my own narrative between pirates and plastic, where pirates will no longer be in search of ‘buried treasure’ but instead, for ocean plastic… The cape would be a way of the pirate catching this plastic on the surface of the ocean, using the knitted net at the bottom, which is made of plastic bags."

“I wanted to raise awareness of the scale of the problem that comes with this easy access material and in turn I wanted to encourage recycling and advocate reusing materials. My piece is made from various plastic rain ponchos and plastic bags which are knitted together and then connected to a second hand knitted garment, destined for landfill.”

“It is vital to me that the material I use for my sculptures are second-hand, that I am not generating any more waste than needs be to create my work. I am merely adopting what is already there. My ambivalent relationship with pre-own ‘stuff’ stems from my adolescent and embarrassment of owning all second-hand items, (of which I now revel in) as something that my family have always done for; personal, financial and environmental reasons.”

“I believe emotional sustainability to feed into each of the 'three pillars' (social, economic and environmental), creating a loop of positive and progressive action. I created this piece for the sustainability award because this month also happens to be Mental Health Awareness month, and I think mental health awareness and maintenance and the sustainability of any society or people are intimately linked.”

“Polluted City is a zine exploring the future of Leeds if we continue to make as many emissions as we do right now. With the number of deaths related to pollution rising in our cities, I firmly believe it was time to rethink how often we use our cars instead of our feet to travel around the city… I wanted to make the image grim and hard to look at, hence the harsh colours and imagery used whilst making this zine. The backgrounds all relate to recognisable places around Leeds, and were all photographed by myself.”

“Light Pollution is the over-usage of artificial lights, to the point that it is creating more costs than benefits. I have been exploring the unnecessary and vast amounts of light pollution, specifically within the city… This body of work features both moving and still image, to display the vast presence of this issue and how much it impacts our daily lives. With the moving image, you get a feel of the brightness of the city - neon lights and street-lamps flooding the streets with pointless & often very concentrated light sources.”

“I wanted to create a piece that directly questions the audience to consider whether their lifestyle and personal consumption of plastic is contributing to this issue by depicting the hand as intentionally ambiguous as to whether the bag is being dumped or removed. In particular I think this addresses the idea of personal accountability and responsibility over the consequences of your daily choices taken out of convenience by removing the chain of events between the consumer binning their plastic bag, and it entangling a beautiful sea creature.”

"Working with Yorkshire based charities, in particular Martin House, the children’s charity who supply medical care and support for children and families with life shortening conditions. I was able to select a few garments from their shop to rework and up-cycle them into new garments which would then be exhibited and sold in the Martin House shop."