Due to the pressure for change arising from trade liberalisation, increasing competition, technological advances and a shift in consumption patterns; fashion industry companies continuously need to turn their business models towards more environmentally and socially conscious circular models.
While there is societal and political recognition that the fashion industry needs to become more sustainable, fashion SMEs face considerable challenges in taking action: competition from high/volume low price corporations; lack of funding to enable business development; insufficient infrastructure for reuse and recycling; technical, design and material related challenges.
What do we do?
Fashion For Change is a 3-year long programme co-financed by COSME. Together with COSME Fashion For Change is enhancing the competitiveness and improving the environmental performance of European fashion SMEs, designers and start-ups.
Knowledge Hub
We are building a Knowledge Hub – a hub of sustainable fashion SMEs, designers and start-ups to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, experience and best practices.
Growth Programme
We are organising a Growth Programme – an acceleration programme providing technical and financial support for SMEs, designers and start-ups to become more sustainable and turn towards circular business models
How to get involved?
From January 2021 to December 2023, a combination of international events, mentorship programmes, networking activities and learning materials are delivered to empower stakeholders in the EU fashion industry. All interested parties are invited to an idea hackathon, awarding the best (and most sustainable) ideas with financial aid and a support programme for bringing it to life.
Programme events are brought to life by an experienced team: Civitta Estonia, Ecopreneur.eu, Estonian Academy of Arts, Katalista Ventures and Singleton.
Want to receive information about the Open Call and the Fashion For Change events? Let us know!
Benefit from resources we create
In the scope of Fashion For Change a range of valuable resources for fashion industry stakeholders will be created:
- Map of the EU fashion actors and initiatives (available June 2021)
- Analyses of the challenges, needs and existing solutions in EU sustainable fashion industry (available August 2021)
- Methodology and analysis of the “Fashion Sprint for Change” - design hackathon
- Methodology and analysis of the sustainable fashion Growth Programme
- Fashion For Change Dissemination and Communication Plan
- Toolkit for Replication
- Fashion For Change Policy Recommendations
- Fashion For Change Project Management Plan
Are you an investor seeking to access innovative new ideas? Contact us: info@fashionforchange.eu