The fourth edition of Refashion Day was held yesterday, Tuesday October 10, and continued with the prize-giving ceremony for the winners of the Innovation 2023 Challenge. Here's what you need to remember about the day in just 5 minutes!
Building a desirable and tangible future for our industry is possible, but how?
1. Re-enchanting the consumer society
Today, the desire to re-enchant the world is palpable in the humanities, arts and crafts, and extends to the Textiles and Footwear Sector. Given the challenges we face, there is an urgent need for cooperation, for a step back from individual motivations to make way for the common good. For companies, this change in behavior implies a search for meaning, rather than profit. The result: peace of mind, but also joy, because if resilience is synonymous with "doing less", it is also synonymous with "doing better", and the creative dimension that goes with it.
But all this will only happen if the development of new social norms is made possible. Through storytelling and edutainment, but also the construction of new reference groups, in the quality of influencers and opinion leaders, whose consumption patterns will be sustainable and desirable.
2. Building a regenerative economy
It does not take much to be happy... The old adage takes on its full meaning on the road to ecological transition. Clothes, accessories... an entire fashion mythology has been built on the duality of want and need. In a world with a limited carbon budget, where the planet's population will reach 11 billion by the end of the century, the desires of some will be at the expense of the vital needs of others.
The key word: Reduce
Reduce energy consumption, reduce clothing consumption, but also reduce their psychological obsolescence. In opposition to the consumerist model, it is that of frugality, embodied by the prudent management of resources and the visible or invisible repair of our clothes, that must prevail. In this context, it is essential to enhance the status of the artisanal trade, to encourage the transition towards an economically viable re-industrialization of repair workshops.
3. Use existing resources to improve production
Drawing a line between past, present and future... To better imagine tomorrow, it is vital to reposition the ecosystem in the long term and the flow of history. The three dimensions of time interpenetrate: ancestral know-how dialogues with innovation, and existing resources are identified, repaired and even saved. The aim: to turn our waste into new resources with reduced environmental impact. But to achieve this, advances in recycling and component separation technologies are essential. Refashion is pursuing this commitment by funding innovative recycling projects as part of the Innovation Challenge.
2023 Innovation Challenge, who are the winners? 
Refashion Day closed with the presentation of the Innovation Challenge prizes. Four recycling projects with TRL (Technology Readiness Level) between 1 and 4 were selected, including:
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The infinity jersey by NOLT
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UPnyl-tex presented by CEA
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Injectil presented by Wecosta
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PURe presented by MFC
Since 2010, over 5.6 million euros have been invested to co-finance 60 projects to optimize the recycling of non-reusable used textiles and footwear under the Innovation Challenge.
Learn more about the 2023 Innovation Challenge
Did you miss the event, or would you like to see again the discussions that interested you? All replays are now available on our YouTube channel!
We would like to thank all our speakers and guests for their enriching contributions.
Many thanks to our partners, WE DEMAIN and (RE)SET for their collaboration in organizing this event.
