- The Transitions Lab (T-Lab) gathered students and professionals from the textile and fashion sector at Città Studi Biella on February 4, 5, and 6.
- The Transnational Transitions Conference was held in Milan on February 7, attracting more than 200 attendees.
A Collaborative Approach to Innovation
The Transitions Project is a strategic alliance for innovation that brings together research and technology centers, vocational training institutions, higher education clusters, and other innovation entities from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Its goal is to accelerate the transition of the textile and fashion industry towards the 4.0 Industry and the circular economy by developing new learning methods, tools, and practices to help students, young designers, and professionals tackle real-world challenges.
Transitions Lab (TLab): A training program to support sustainability and digitalisation within the textile and fashion ecosystem
During the first week of February, the Transitions Project partners travelled to Biella, a northern Italian city known for its strong textile tradition, especially in wool processing. They participated in the closing event of the project, which included three days of training for VET, HE students and professionals from the textile and fashion sector. .
The TLab was hosted by Città Studi Biella University. The inaugural session of the TLab featured infspirational talks by SlowFiber, Artknit Studios, and Consorzio Biella The Wool Company. The speakers all emphasized on the urgent need for a systemic and collaborative shift in the textile and fashion industry, as the traditional model is no longer sustainable.
The training program was structured into three learning pathways, addressing the different educational levels of the Transitions project:
- Vocational Education Students (VET): “Digital Design for Circular Practices”
- Higher Education Students (HEI): “Designing Beyond Sustainability”
- Professionals (PRO): “Glocal Alliances for the Circular Transition of the Textile and Fashion Sector”
The training program focused on the systemic approach to textile and fashion developed within the Loopholes Toolkit and the modular curriculum of the Transitions project. The training program combined theoretical lectures with practical workshops. Participants also visited leading textile companies such as Piacenza, Marchi & Fildi, and Magnolab, where they gained first-hand insights into production processes and real-world sustainability and innovation initiatives.
The Transnational Transitions Conference: Key Discussions for the Future
On February 7, the Transnational Transitions Conference took place at Confindustria Moda in Milan, Italy, marking the official conclusion of the European Transitions Project. The event was held both in-person and streamed online, attracting more than 200 professionals from the textile and fashion industry.
The conference opened with a welcome speech by Confindustria Moda and an online intervention by Cecilia Liljegren, Team Leader of the European Commission, who highlighted the importance and impact of Erasmus+ Alliances for Innovation projects. Next, the Transitions Project partners took the stage to present the project’s results and share key learnings. They also introduced the Loopholes Toolkit, an innovative strategy and design-thinking tool and the modular curriculum, both developed as part of the project.
Dirk Vantyghem, Director General of EURATEX, delivered a keynote speech outlining the current landscape of the European textile sector. He also presented future European policies and strategies, including the development of a new curriculum aligned with the European Pact for Skills and the 2030 targets.
Following this, experts from different areas of specialization took the stage for thematic presentations. Zoe Romano and Silvia Moglia explored the social and environmental challenges facing the textile industry, emphasizing that the only way to be sustainable is to have a deep knowledge of the supply chain. Chelsea Franklin and Christine Nsubuga, both specialists in fashion and textiles, shared a more optimistic perspective on the future of the industry, highlighting the crucial role of digitalization. Chiara Colombi and Svenja Keune, representing higher education, discussed the importance of lifelong learning and incorporating diverse perspectives into the textile and fashion industry, including multispecies design approaches.
Additionally, representatives from three Erasmus+ projects—SIT Project, VETRINE Project, and ADDTEX Project—took the stage to present their work on the twin transition (digital and green) of the textile and fashion sector.
The event concluded with a roundtable discussion on the future of training within the textile and fashion sector moderated by Marina Castán (Elisava), featuring Pedro Gonçalves (Euratex), Enrico Venturini (NTT), Silvia Moglia (ITS TAM), Troy Nachtigall (HVA), Chiara Colombi (POLIMI), and Chelsea Franklin (PANGAIA).
With this conference, the Transitions Project officially comes to an end. In the coming months, the Transitions final curriculum toolkit developed within the project will be published. Meanwhile, the Loopholes Toolkit is already available for free on the Transitions Project website.
Disclaimer: “Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsable for them.”