Friday 29 April 2022 – The Circular Sustainable Fashion Week took place in Madrid from the 20th to the 30th of April, demonstrating that there is a transformative fashion that promotes an eco-friendly way of dressing and living. After 7 years of urban fashion shows with low social and environmental impact, this 2022 Circular Sustainable Fashion Week at the headquarters of the Istituto Europeo di Design in Madrid hosted 10 of the projects currently being accelerated by the European programme CirCoAX by CircularInnoBooster.
This is a programme that promotes 30 disruptive fashion and textile projects within the framework of the European CircularInnoBooster project, co-financed by the European Commission under the COSME programme. Over a period of 8 months, these 30 projects receive mentorship and funding to change the business, production and consumption model towards a circular and regenerative one. This transformation is necessary because the fashion and textile sector is the second most polluting sector in the world and the fourth most polluting in the European Union.
The event took place at the IED Innovation Lab, a space provided by the leaders of CirCoAX by CircularInnoBooster, in the framework of the Circular Sustainable Fashion Week organised by its president Paloma García. Pyratex, Uptrade, Moda RE, Beaggie, García Bello, Reawaken, Zyosh, Infinite Athletic, Agri-Gaya and Deleitewear have been the leading characters, claiming with their projects that it is possible to transform the linear model. Thanks to CirCoAX by CircularInnoBooster, each of them has the support of experts who guide them and help them align their objectives with the Circular economy action plan of the European Union, the 2030 Agenda of the UN and the Green Deal.
In addition to the 10 projects of the day, the writer and professor Peggy Blum presented her book «Circular Fashion», a practical and holistic vision of fashion that has inspired the audience of this event. Professor Blum has expressed her support for the initiatives proposed by the 10 projects as well as her interest in collaborating with their implementation.
The meeting was also an opportunity to share with the audience the launch of the Nextextile Startup Europe Awards 2022 by the coordinator of CirCoAX by CircularInnoBooster Sharam Yalda. This is an open innovation initiative under the umbrella of the Startup Europe Awards of the European Commission implemented by Finnova Foundation since 2016. These awards will be given with the other 3 projects co-funded under the COSME programme in the field of circular economy in the fashion and textile industries. SmallButPerfect, Fashion for Change, S4Fashion and CirCoAX by CircularInnoBooster are accelerating a total of 108 projects. Their alliance and synergies have led them to cooperate on a larger scale, creating the Nextextilegeneration platform, organising events in the framework of the EU Green Week and the Circular Economy Forum, and launching these European awards.
Although the call will be open only to entities accelerated under the four projects, anyone interested in entrepreneurship, fashion and the circular economy can participate as a jury or spectator. Throughout this year, different events will be held to publicise each of the proposals accelerated by CirCoAX, such as the Circular Sustainable Fashion Week in Madrid, the EU Green Week on Monday 30 May and Micro-Small-Medium sized enterprises on Monday 27 June. Also, more information about the European competition will be provided on the communication channels of the 4 projects, and the Nextextilegeneration platform. To end the year, the four projects will hold a final ceremony in December.
About COSME
COSME is the programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises by the European Commission’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
This programme assists SMEs to develop their business models, to obtain funds and to internationalise. This scheme also supports public administrations to enhance the entrepreneurial environment and to facilitate the economic growth of the EU. During the funding period of 2014-2020, this programme allocated €2.3 billion to support SMEs.
About IED
Istituto Europeo di Design is an academic institution working in education, training, and the research of fashion, design, visual communication, and management. IED has offices in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Italy (Milan, Rome and five other cities) and Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro). IED works in several EU and COSME countries through collaborations and arrangements with institutions, business support organisations, teachers, experts, and mentors. IED has an extensive network of connections in the fashion and textile sector (F&T).
About Finnova
Finnova es una fundación que trabaja para la promoción y el desarrollo de la innovación y el espíritu empresarial a nivel de la UE. Con sede en Bruselas, opera a través de colaboraciones y asociaciones en todos los países de la Unión Europea. La experiencia de Finnova liderando actividades de comunicación y difusión de proyectos europeos se combina con una sólida experiencia probada en la creación de empresas y programas de apoyo empresarial, como aceleradoras, incubadoras y selección y adjudicación de eventos ceremoniales.
About Texfor
Texfor is a leading textile association in Spain with roughly 400 members. Founded in 2010 and based in Catalonia, Texfor brings together enterprises from the textile value chain, i.e. from weaving to fabrics as well as accessories, textile finishing, printing, and dyeing for the dressmaking industry, textiles for households and technical and industrial applications. Texfor has an extensive expertise as it has worked in relevant expert committees at an EU level: university and professional training, developing financial capacities, cross-cutting collaboration, fostering RDI, specialised services, and leadership in sustainability focused on the circular economy.
About Circulab
Circulab is a laboratory and design studio specialising in developing transformation methods, tools and programmes to help enterprises adopt circular and sustainable business models. Circulab has designed a number of tools to implement a circular business model in enterprises. It works in 23 countries – 9 out of them in the EU – and it supports projects via 60 independent entrepreneurial consultants. It applies circular methodologies and tools.
About The Circular Project co-designed with HumanNation
TCP (The Circular Project) favours and promotes a circular and sustainable fashion in different areas, offering the fashion industry a communication strategy based on a cross-cutting and systemic approach of the circular economy. TCP combines social, ethical, environmental and economic aspects, and has a strong presence and connections in the sustainable fashion world.
TCP has promoted the Circular Sustainable Fashion Week Madrid, a one-of-a-kind event, and also serves as HQ for the Spanish Association for the Sustainability, Innovation and Circularity in the Fashion Industry. TCP is also ambassador of Sannas (Triple Bottom Line Business Association) and has collaborated in a wide array of Spanish, European, and Latin American institutions and enterprises.
The Circular Project works with Human Nation to co-design and develop CirCoAX. HumanNation is a consultancy enterprise specialising in the development of transformative and disruptive ecosystems of innovation and companies for the ‘new economy’. It is based on the fourth economic sector, the systemic thinking, and co-creation. It raises awareness in organisations and ecosystems to respect the planetary boundaries and the social fabric, creating resilient local economies with a global perspective.
