Bio-material maker Nancy and tanner Jack win Environmental Sustainability Awards 2025

Bio-material maker Nancy Diniz from London and tanner Jack Millington from Leicestershire have won the Environmental Sustainability Awards, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST). They both received £1,000 prizes and specially-commissioned trophies at a presentation at Wentworth Woodhouse on Monday 17 November 2025.

The first award was for a craftsperson or microbusiness demonstrating an innovative approach to environmental sustainability, rarely before seen, that can act as inspiration for others to explore new ways of thinking and working. Nancy Diniz is an architect, educator and director of the MA Biodesign at Central Saint Martins. The award recognises her pioneering work in bio-digital craft and the development of a patent-pending, 3D-printed, living mycelium composite.

The second award recognised the achievements of a craftsperson or microbusiness that has made measurable progress in transforming the environmental impact of their craft business, through a series of incremental changes and improvements. Jack Millington is co-founder of Billy Tannery, a pioneering microtannery on a farm in the Midlands, where he transforms waste goat and venison hides using a closed-loop system with natural bark extracts and on-site water treatment.

The trophies for these awards have been made by Thomas Fattorini Ltd, a company founded in 1827 by Antonio Fattorini, an Italian speaking immigrant who settled in Yorkshire, where he established a number of retail outlets specialising in jewellery, watches and fancy goods.

Judges for these awards included materials designer and writer Seetal Solanki, previous winners jewellery maker Rachael Colley and glassblower Allister Malcolm, QEST CEO Debbie Pocock and Heritage Crafts Trustee Jo Sealy.

Heritage Crafts and QEST believe we can (and must) all play a role in building a sustainable future – small changes by many can amount to big changes for all. They hope that, by sharing their stories, other makers can be inspired to make sustainable changes where possible.

Photo: Jack Millington and Nancy Diniz, winners of the 2024 Environmental Sustainability Awards. Photo by Robert Wade.