The Global Footwear Awards (GFA) have announced the winners of their 2025 edition, recognising outstanding footwear design across fashion, performance, sustainability, and innovation. This year, the programme received more than 150 submissions from 35 countries, reflecting a global industry increasingly driven by responsibility, material intelligence, and cultural awareness.
From biocircular sneaker systems to socially rooted craftsmanship and experimental performance footwear, the 2025 winners demonstrate that the future of footwear is not only creative but also consciously designed.
Among the top honours, Swiss brand SOLK by David Solk was named Footwear Brand of the Year. As the first sneaker brand built entirely around biocircularity, SOLK’s Fade 101 model is fully compostable and supported by a closed-loop take-back system, redefining what sustainable production can look like at scale.
The title of Independent Footwear Designer of the Year was awarded to Kaibahan by Joanah Lee Villanueva. Drawing from Filipino heritage, the project brings together regional materials, traditional carving and shoemaking techniques, and a contemporary design language. Each pair reflects the diversity of local craftsmanship while translating cultural references into a modern footwear context, celebrating identity, skill, and material knowledge.
In the Emerging Designer category, Closed Loop Footwear by Dominik Scherrer stood out as one of the most conceptually rigorous projects of the year. Developed at FH JOANNEUM Industrial Design, the modular sneaker is designed for disassembly, repair, and decentralised production using 3D printing and laser cutting.
Beyond the main titles, the Global Footwear Awards 2025 recognised a diverse group of brands, independent designers, and studios across Fashion Sneakers, Sports Performance, Sustainability, and Special Awards. In Fashion Sneakers, Cole Haan was awarded for multiple projects, including Womens GrandPrø Court SkyWeave™ Sneakers and Mens ØriginalGrand Cityspectre Cap Toe Oxfords, while RIZR received recognition for The ROZE Boot in Women’s Fashion. SELENA SELENA FOOTWEAR was awarded for The Florist Heel, and SSSOLE was recognised for Universum in the Sneakers category. In Sports Performance, ASICS stood out with awards for NOVABLAST™ 4 CGI Tech Films and NOVABLAST™ 5 – Bursting with Bounce, while PUMA received a Sports Performance award for Aqua – Puma. Shoes For Crews was recognised for ACE ARROW™ 6 Inch 4SG™ in Winter Athletic Sports, and Step Zero AG received a Sustainability award for Terracoa – Biodegradable Outsole Material. Sustainability categories highlighted innovation in materials and circular systems, with awards going to YUMA by Victor Stroph in 3D Print Footwear, Prickly Pear Plant Based Cowgirl Boots by Kristen Decker in Natural Material and Vegan Footwear, and Tulip: Designed to Decompose by Zoe Mocklar in Biodegradable Footwear. Social Impact and Artistic Footwear categories recognised projects such as Yaar – The Farmer Shoe by Nakul Lathkar and VOID by Flo Group.
All entries were evaluated by an international jury of leading footwear professionals, representing design, education, curation, and industry leadership. The 2025 jury included experts such as Jill Tomandl (Estée Lauder Companies, West Coast Brands), Luis Valenzuela (MIAMI Shoe Museum), Mary Norton (Savannah College of Art), Robbie Fuller (Fila), Yael Joyce Vantu (Balena), Matteo Fermani (Hugo Boss), Eelko Moorer (London College of Fashion), Felipe Fiallo (Felipe Fiallo S.R.L.S), Ann Williams (Schwilliamz Creative Consultants), Sean Williams (OSD, SOLEcial Studies), and Sara Paiva (The Shoe Museum), among many others.
Reflecting on this year’s winners, Astrid Hébert, Co-Founder of the Global Footwear Awards, shared: “What makes this year’s winners so special is that they didn’t choose between creativity and responsibility. They proved you can be bold, expressive, and experimental, while still being deeply thoughtful about materials, production, and impact. We are incredibly proud of the level of sustainability we’re seeing because it comes from genuine design intelligence, not obligation.”
Winning projects will be showcased on the Global Footwear Awards Winners Platform, offering long-term visibility, industry recognition, and opportunities for collaboration, partnerships, and professional growth. The complete list of winners and jury members is available at globalfootwearawards.com.
Photo Credit: SOLK AG
