Semi-Finalists of the European Sustainable Fashion Competition

By Alex Assoune Mar 09, 2023

The European Commission has announced 30 semi-finalists for its European Social Innovation Competition (EUSIC) themed Reimagine Fashion - changing behaviors for sustainable fashion.

The EUSIC is a challenge prize 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.
"The 2020 competition, Reimagine Fashion, is calling for ideas and ventures that aim to improve the environmental and social impact of the European fashion market through the development of new products, services and processes, and innovative business models. The innovations should aim to reduce the overall environmental footprint and improve the societal impact of the fashion market, help make it more accessible and fairer, and aspire to change behaviors in a sustainable way."

- European Commission
The European Commission is looking for innovative solutions that address issues around many areas such as:

closed-loop fashion and textiles systems with net zero waste and climate neutral fashion and textiles production
reduction of the use and consumption of fashion and textiles through innovative business models
environmentally and socially respectful ways of recycling and reusing textile wastes

Three final winners out of the 30 semi-finalists will be announced in September 2020. They will receive a prize of EUR 50,000 each at the award ceremony in November 2020.

Sustainable fashion is important for all of us. Our future on this planet depends on how we treat the environment and ecosystems. And the fashion industry is a large contributor to climate change.

The overproduction and overconsumption of cheaply made clothing from fast fashion high-street stores are putting the future of the Earth at risk. They are responsible for enormous exploitation, deforestation, pollution, waste, water, soil, and air pollution.

We must develop new technologies and innovations in business models, manufacturing, materials, supply chain, commerce, and waste management to create a more circular and regenerative textile economy that delivers greater economic, societal and environmental value.
Read up my article on when did sustainable fashion start to understand the impact of the textile and apparel industry as well as its importance for the planet, the people, and animals living on it.

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.

The 30 selected semi-finalists out of 766 application from 39 countries are:

ALMA
BYBROWN’s Transposable Circular Raincoat
ChoozFit
Cultural Sustainability in Fashion
Dyeluxe
Edith
Fairbrics
Fluid Fashion Realities
Hempcell
Kleiderly
Love your Denim
MeuTeu Co-design Lab
MycoTEX
MYFACTORI
Novel Dyes for Water-free Dyeing of Biofibers
RE-NT
Post Carbon Fashion
Pulp Fashion
Reinventing Copenhagen Fashion Week
resortecs
ROND: CO2 reduced soles from discarded fabric
SENSTILE: The future is tactile
Shuffle Swaps
Snake
Style Your Stay
Swap Shop
Vintage for a Cause
Vividye: Reversible colouring for textiles
WasteLess Fashion
WoolWays

Find more information on this year's theme of the competition on the EUSIC website.

Was this article helpful to you? Please tell us what you liked or didn't like in the comments below.

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.