Objective

The fashion and textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. The fashion industry’s CO2 emissions are projected to increase by more than 60% to nearly 2.8 billion tons per year by 2030. At the same time the volume of freshwater consumed by the fashion industry is 79 million cubic meters, and it is predicted to increase by 50% in 2030 [1]

Regarding the EU market, in 2016 the EU was the major markets for clothing, accounting for 37.4% of world imports, being the second world top textile exporter [2]. The European Commission estimates that the EU textile industry generates waste at 16 million tons per year [3]

Thereby, it is obvious the necessity to move away from the current linear model to a new circular textile model In this direction, in the textile and fashion sector design is a key step to produce the transition to a circular model. Around 80% of a product’s environmental impact is locked in at design stage [4]. Hence, the report “A new textiles economy” highlights design as strategic action towards a circular textile sector, taking into account that “designing and producing clothes of higher quality and providing access to them via new business models would help shift the perception of clothing from being a disposable item to being a durable product” [5]. In addition, the Commission pointed that “Ecodesign supports the Commission’s overarching priority to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and boost job creation and economic growth; it ensures a level playing field in the internal market, drives investment and innovation in a sustainable manner, and saves money for consumers while reducing CO2 emissions” [6]. Consequently, it will be necessary to prepare current and future designers with the necessary skills on circular designor eco-design

Likewise, the Commission in its Action plan for the Circular economy points that “the transition to a circular economy will also require a qualified workforce with specific and sometimes new skills. If the right skills at all levels are to be developed, they will have to be espoused by the education and training systems.” [7]. In the same way, the Commission is also following up on its Green Employment Initiative with action to anticipate needs and encourage the development of skills to support job creation

For that reason, Design4Circle aims to cover the skill gaps in eco-innovation of European Designers in textile and fashion products. Design4Circle will allow designers from the textile sector sectors to reduce environmental impact during the products life-cycle, and develop new and innovative businesses within the principles of circular economy.

Design4Circle has for objective to create an innovative learning curriculum in line with the needs of designers of the textile and fashion industry towards a circular business model, being the main target group current and future fashion designers of the textile industry

The following specific objectives have been defined (SO) and also intellectual outputs (IO) that will permit to achieve it:

SO1. Identify needs and last resources available for eco-design in the textile sector towards a circular model and current best practices on circular businesses (IO1)

SO2. Design and develop a Joint Curriculum (JCV) on eco-design and circular entrepreneurship with the participation ofc organisations with different profiles (IO2 and IO3)

SO3. Deliver the JCV on e-learning OER Platform (IO4)

SO4. Break borderlines among business textile sector and experts in eco-design and circular economy (IO1 and IO2)

SO5. Prepare European textile designers with the right skills and knowledge for eco-design in a circular model. It will be performed by promoting better anticipation of green and creativity skills needs and developing better matching between skills and companies needs (IO2 and IO3)

SO6. Create new job opportunities for people with skills in the new area of eco-design, and promoting eco-efficient materials (IO3 and IO4)

SO7. Boost new businesses in the textile sector fulfilling the principles of the circular economy (IO2, IO3 and IO4)

Innovation in training in new trends is rarely achieved in isolation. The added value of carrying out the project with partners from several European countries is evident, since one of the objectives of the project is to define an harmonised European JCV and to

draft training recommendations that can be adopted by training institutions in all EU countries

[1] Global Fashion Agenda and the Boston Consulting Group (2017), Pulse of the Fashion Industry

[2] WTO (2017), World Trade Statistical Review 2017

[3] WRAP (2017), Valuing Our Clothes: the cost of UK fashion

[4] WRAP (n.d.), WRAP and the circular economy

[5] Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017), A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future

[6] COM(2016) 773 final “Ecodesign working plan 2016-2019”

[7] COM(2015) 614 final “Closing the loop – An EU action plan for the Circular Economy”