Student leather designers head to Bangkok for RLSD final

Four category winners from Israel, the U.S., Germany and Vietnam will compete in Bangkok on Oct. 29 for the 2026 Real Leather. Stay Different. Student Designer of the Year title. The contest spotlights circular design, durability and craftsmanship as student work made from leather scraps challenges fast fashion's waste problem.

Why it matters: - The competition is positioning real leather as a lower-waste alternative to disposable fashion. - The winning designs emphasize durability, reuse and biodegradable materials over petroleum-based synthetics. - Several entries were made largely from offcuts and scraps that would otherwise go to landfill. - The event gives emerging designers a global stage to test circular design ideas in front of industry judges.

What happened: - Four category winners were named in the 2026 Real Leather. Stay Different. International Student Design Competition. - The winners represent Israel, the U.S., Germany and Vietnam. - The finalists will compete in Bangkok on Oct. 29 for the 2026 Real Leather Stay Different Student Designer of the Year title. - Thailand's national winner, Kittidech Chankraithong, will join the final as the host nation representative.

The details: - Tal Zohar of Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art in Israel won in apparel with "The Neo-Heritage Tennis Club." - Siang-Ying Lu of the SAIC School of the Art Institute of Chicago won in accessories with "Playscape." - Roscha Dinler of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany won in footwear with "Fragmented Structure." - Tran Trong Nghi Nguyen of Ton Duc Thang in Vietnam won the People's Choice award with "Champa - The Legacy." - Kittidech Chankraithong's collection, "RODE-MAIL," draws on everyday Thai commuter life and a centuries-old Thai royal gilding technique. - Lu's accessory began as a single circle of leftover leather folded and stitched without any additional cuts. - Dinler built a shoe directly on a last using scrap leather and drew on Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. - The competition frames real leather as a by-product of the meat and dairy industries. - The competition contrasts real leather's durability, reusability and biodegradability with synthetic leathers and low-cost fabrics that are petroleum-based and do not break down easily. - The final will take place at Bangkok's historic Jim Thompson House. - The competition previously held its finals in Taipei, London and Milan. - The judging panel includes Hugo Boss Ticino managing director Christopher Koerber, ASAVA founder Polpat "Moo" Asavaprapha and New Balance innovation designer Ashin Zhou. - Asavaprapha recently dressed BLACKPINK's Lisa for a visit to Buckingham Palace. - Amanda Symm of the Leather & Hide Council of America said the competition shows the imagination, intelligence and craftsmanship of the next generation of designers. - Symm said this year's winners found original ways to use a natural material while addressing waste reduction, longevity, cultural storytelling or experimentation. - The competition is free to enter and is open to students and recent graduates. - The program is sponsored by the Leather and Hide Council of America and delivered in partnership with Arts Thread. - More information is available in the competition announcement.

Between the lines: - The competition is using student fashion to argue that sustainability can come from material choice as much as from design process. - The emphasis on offcuts, repair techniques and by-products signals a push to recast leather as circular rather than wasteful. - Bangkok hosting the final adds regional visibility for Thai craft traditions and local design talent.

What's next: - The five finalists will compete in Bangkok on Oct. 29. - One designer will be named 2026 Real Leather Stay Different Student Designer of the Year. - The final will showcase how the next generation balances craft, waste reduction and cultural storytelling in fashion.

The bottom line: - The competition is turning leather into a case study for anti-fast-fashion design, with student work built around longevity, reuse and craftsmanship.