Sustainability and ethical sourcing were major style influences at this year’s David Nieper student design awards, run with the University of Derby.

David Nieper has always been committed to the sustainable production of fashion and is keen to impart these skills to a new generation of designers.

Year 2 fashion and textile students were tasked to design a collection for the elegant older woman, with sound environmental credentials taking inspiration from the world of art.

David Nieper challenged students to think hard about sustainability, making them review their supply chain and discover where and how their materials were made.

Standards were extremely high but with one clear winner –fashion student, Olivia Rose Noble was awarded first prize and a cheque for £1000. Runners up included Lydia Fisher and Grace Stevens both textiles design students.

Olivia’s winning collection included stylish denim wear. Her fabrics originated from renewable wood sources, which require less water than cotton for growing. Olivia’s denim fabric was manufactured using an environmentally responsible production process, creating garments that are both compostable and biodegradable.

Judges were wowed by student’s innovative approach to creating sustainable collections using new and inventive fabrics such as Pinatex from pineapple leaf fiber, ground coffee fiber and bamboo.