Create

Context 

The environmental and social cost of the clothing and textile industry has increased dramatically in the late years globally and is expected to continue this linear course in the future. “Sustainability has risen on the corporate agenda, but half of the fashion industry has yet to take action and overall progress is too slow”. (Global Fashion Agenda, CEO List 2019).  

At a global level, clothing and footwear contribute 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions annually, more than those of international flights and sea transportation (maritime, international shipping) added together (World Bank). Moreover, it creates 20% of global wastewater on an annual basis. Cotton production uses 2.5% of the world’s cultivable land (Ellen McArthur foundation). The dyeing and finishing phase of textiles production can require as much as 200 tonnes of water for every tonne of textiles produced (Yusuf, 2018).  

Aim of the project

The purpose of the activities proposed by the CREATE program is to develop (green) skills that are relevant to the fashion sector to make it more sustainable and, more importantly, foster women’s ability to “become true agents of change”. 
01 November 2021 – 31 October 2023.
ID 2021-1-SE01-KA220-ADU-000029427

Impact

To tackle the pollution problem caused by the fashion industry, the CREATE consortium will prepare and test a new learning program that sees women (of different ages, education levels and nationalities thus cultures) co-creating and producing a sustainable capsule collection. The sustainable capsule collection is a new sustainable way of working that allows the designer to recycle textiles or waste clothing to produce new garments. A circular fashion industry is one in which waste and pollution are designed out, products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible, including through reusing and recycling, and where natural systems are regenerated. 

Results

During the project, the partners will create an education toolkit and an educators handbook that instruct fashion practitioners on how to add circular economy (circular fashion) practices to their teaching. The purpose is to tackle the pollution problem caused by the fashion industry, by empowering women (designers) to create garments and accessories using recycled textiles.