The innovative Fashion Forward project is set to radically transform the textile industry in the SUDOE region, with an ambitious plan to turn post-consumer waste into design and sustainability opportunities.
The initiative, which has a budget of €1,553,248, 75% of which is financed by ERDF funds, aims to involve 115 companies, 300 municipalities, 16 waste management associations and 50 schools over its 2.5-year implementation period.The main aim of the project, which will run from January 2024 to June 2026, is to promote a more circular, intelligent and digital fashion model, aligned with new European sustainability regulations.
An international consortium made up of entities such as the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, Coleo Recycling SL and the Portuguese Textile Industries Technological Centre will lead this transformation, with key strategies including the training of textile value chain players, the implementation of waste sorting technologies, the development of recycling solutions and the creation of new fibres from discarded materials.
The territories of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Galicia, Occitania and Vale do Ave will be the first to experiment with this green revolution, with local action plans designed to maximise the re-use of textile materials and reduce the sector’s ecological footprint.
Fashion Forward aims not only to transform industrial processes, but also to raise awareness of the importance of the circular economy in fashion, positioning south-west Europe as a pioneering region for sustainable and innovative practices.
