The environmental impact of the textile industry is undeniable, with significant strain on resources like water, land, energy, and raw materials. In the European Union (EU) alone, the textile sector ranks as the 3rd highest contributor to water and land use pressure, and the 5th largest consumer of raw materials and emitter of greenhouse gases (EEA). In 2020, the average EU citizen’s textile consumption required a staggering 9 m³ of water, 400 m² of land, and 391 kg of raw materials (European Parliament, 2021). What’s even more alarming is the waste – 5 million tonnes of textiles and clothing are discarded annually in the EU, which amounts to around 12 kg per person, with a mere 1% being recycled into new products.
But there’s hope. The VERDEinMED project is here to tackle the mountain of textile waste and its environmental impact in the Mediterranean region, focusing on prevention and reduction. This ambitious initiative aims to reshape the textile industry by raising awareness, sharing knowledge, and changing consumer and production habits across Greece, Spain, and Italy.
At the heart of this initiative is the concept of living labs – dynamic, open spaces where consumers, industry leaders, and students come together to collaborate, innovate, and create sustainable solutions. These living labs will act as the catalyst for a new way of thinking about the textile industry, offering a platform to share ideas, solve problems, and drive positive change.
Why participate?
By bringing consumers and companies together, we foster a deeper understanding of sustainability and consumer preferences. What motivates your purchase decisions? What makes a product truly sustainable? These are the questions that can spark new approaches to creating textiles that are both responsible and desirable.
The first step in this transformative journey is a consumer survey designed to uncover your knowledge and attitudes about the sustainability of the textile industry. We want to know what’s missing and what changes would make the supply chain more transparent and sustainable.
Take the survey and be part of this groundbreaking process! Help shape a more sustainable future for the textile industry by sharing your thoughts and ideas:
- Italy: https://forms.office.com/e/yAZ77Cj9s9
- Greece: https://forms.gle/nhaCCPJm9mmBzn3m6
- Spain: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=5sNqUdDNmk-wz5JL_7aEzO2tkhMIe3ZJpY07TT7jDNpUQ05XODYwSFIwMDFIWlBGRDZJSlZZNlNRRi4u
Your responses will guide the next steps in the project, leading to training sessions on the topics that matter most to you, as well as study visits to companies and institutions focused on eco-design. Together, we’ll create solutions that work for both consumers and producers.
As the project evolves, the living labs will host follow-up surveys to gather feedback and refine ideas. There will be more training opportunities, discussions, and a final event to present the results of this exciting collaborative process.
It includes a second questionnaire to receive feedback after having discussed and shared proposals and views between consumers and companies and, if requested, other training and information meetings. The results of this course will be presented during the final event.
Implementation methodology:
