After announcing its semi-finalists earlier in 2020, the European Commission finally revealed the winners of its Reimagine Fashion competition.
The challenge is part of the European Social Innovation Competition (EUSIC) themed Reimagine Fashion - changing behaviors for sustainable fashion.
The EUSIC is available to all EU member states and funding program Horizon 2020 associated countries. The competition takes place each year around a different issue. The focus of the EUSIC challenge this year is sustainable fashion.
Among the three winners of the competition is a start-up called Resortecs that helps simplify reusing and recycling textile products.
The European Commission is exploring early-stage projects trying to change the way fashion is produced, brought, used, and recycled.
An expert jury panel selected the three winners from 766 applicants across Europe.
The EUSIC and its 2020 theme Reimagine Fashion is an excellent opportunity to pursue sustainability and support solutions to these issues. It's crucial to make sustainable and fair fashion more broadly accessible.
Each winner will receive EUR 50,000 (USD 59,948) to further develop and scale their idea after demonstrating significant potential to change fashion.
New technologies and innovations in business models, manufacturing, materials, supply chain, commerce, and waste management are necessary to create a more circular and regenerative textile economy that delivers greater economic, societal and environmental value.
The three winners of the 2020 Reimagine Fashion competition are:
- Resortecs (Belgium): A start-up that has developed dissolvable stitching thread and heat-dismountable rivets, helping simplify the process of reusing and recycling textile products.
- Snake (Croatia): A digital commerce platform that enables users to wear limitless outfits in augmented reality, thus changing fashion consumption.
- Why We Craft (Romania): A legal support mechanism for craftspeople and designers. The project is empowering those who are maintaining traditional practices by opening up access to otherwise complicated legal concepts.
The European Commission awarded an additional prize to the 2019 finalist, Empower (Norway), to praise the impact it has made over the past 12 months.
About the Author: Alex Assoune
Alex Assoune (MS) is a global health and environmental advocate. He founded Panaprium to inspire others with conscious living, ethical, and sustainable fashion. Alex has worked in many countries to address social and environmental issues. He speaks three languages and holds two Master of Science degrees in Engineering from SIGMA and IFPEN schools.
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