Circular Textile Days 2024: Driving Sustainable Innovation in the Textile Industry
The Netherlands, Tuesday, 1 October 2024.
The Circular Textile Days, scheduled for September 18-19, 2024, will showcase cutting-edge sustainable practices and circular economy initiatives in the textile industry. This event aims to foster collaboration among innovators, featuring sessions on financing circular textile chains and promoting knowledge exchange for a greener future.
Key Highlights of the Event
Held at the 1931 Congress Centre in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, the Circular Textile Days 2024 brought together industry leaders, researchers, and sustainability advocates. Key projects like RegioGreenTex, GO4EXPORT, and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) played significant roles in enhancing circular entrepreneurship. The event featured a wide array of sessions, including panel discussions, matchmaking events, and presentations focused on sustainable innovation.
Notable Sessions and Speakers
One of the key sessions on September 18 was the panel discussion titled ‘Impact Investing for a Circular Textile Industry,’ featuring notable speakers such as Esther Smit, founder of Oxious Talent Factory, and Maud Hartstra from Invest-NL. This session delved into the financial aspects of supporting circular enterprises, with Esther Smit sharing her experiences and challenges in securing funding. Another highlight was the breakfast session on September 19, which focused on collaboration between the Netherlands and Scandinavia in circular textiles.
Innovative Projects and Presentations
The Circular Textile Days also showcased several innovative projects and presentations. Sylvia Snoeren from Oost NL discussed ‘Region Green Tex Hubs,’ emphasizing the importance of regional networks in building circular value chains. Additionally, the event featured a session on digital product passports, highlighting their transformative potential for supply chain monitoring. Speakers like Mathias Slabbinck from Quifactum emphasized the importance of these tools beyond regulatory compliance.
Matchmaking and Networking Opportunities
CTD-Match 2024, a key component of the event, offered participants 20-minute pre-scheduled meetings to explore partnerships and expand their international networks. Organized by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) as part of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), this matchmaking event attracted 428 participants, leading to 83 scheduled meetings. Categories of participants included manufacturers, researchers, consultants, and government authorities, all eager to engage in cross-border cooperation.
Pioneering Sustainable Solutions
Speakers at the event represented a broad spectrum of the textile industry, from SMEs to large corporations. Willem Swager from Patagonia discussed the company’s successes and challenges in achieving sustainability. Stefan Schlichter from Hochschule Augsburg introduced the world’s first makers factory for mechanical recycling of textiles. These presentations underscored the tangible steps being taken towards a more sustainable and circular textile industry.
Bronnen
- oostnl.nl
- www.circulartextiledays.com
- ctd-match24.b2match.io
- www.circulartextiledays.com
- textile-platform.eu
- www.fibre2fashion.com