INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANCIES

PLACE(S) OF CONSULTING MISSION:
Argentina, Brasil
DATE(S) OF MISSION:
September - November 2019
CONSULTANTS:

Marina Chahboune,
Specialist in sustainability, sustainable innovations and circular economy in textiles and clothing GERMANY
GERMANY

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IMPACTED:

International consultancy to support the implementation of sustainability oriented strategies in the fashion system, mainly based on the Circular Economy

Description of the consultancy:

The consultancy provided support to INTI (Argentina) and the Universidade Estadual de Maringá (Brazil) from an expert in sustainability, sustainable innovations and circular economy in textiles and clothing. The highlights of the visit were a) a plenary conference in an INTI Textiles Day on circular business models applied in the fashion industry, b) a series of meetings with key actors in Argentina, c) a one-day workshop at the Argentine Apparel Industry Chamber (Cámara Industrial Argentina de la Indumentaria - CIAI), (d) a plenary conference at the Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) on circular business models applied in the fashion industry; (e) a series of meetings with key players in Brazil, and (d) a plenary conference at the Universidad Tecnológica Federal de Paraná (UTFP) on circular business models applied in the fashion industry.

Objectives:

  • To learn about different types of application of circular business models in the fashion industry.
  • To learn about the Asian experience in optimizing business practices that improve the quality of life of people and their environments.
  • To learn about methods, tools and creative possibilities for the contextualization of sustainability in the fashion industry to achieve economic growth and sustainable development.

Participating Institutions:

  • National Institute of Industrial Technology (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial - INTI) - Argentina
  • Maringá State University (Universidade Estadual of Maringá - Brazil)
  • Partner institutions from the countries participating in the SEDA Project: UEA - Ecuador; UPB - Colombia; EEPFIH - Cuba; FA UBA - Argentina; INTA - Argentina
  • Cooperatives, foundations and companies in the textile sector in Argentina and Brazil

Activities carried out specifically:

  • Activity 1: INTI visit/tour. Meeting with key actors.
  • Activity 2: One-day workshop at INTI or Centro Cultural de la Ciencia
  • Activity 3: Plenary conference during the INTI Textiles Day on sustainability and circularity in the fashion industry.
  • Activity 4: Closing plenary conference at the Maringá State University and the Federal Technological University of Paraná, Brazil.
  • Activity 5: UEM visit/tour. Meeting with key actors linked to sericulture production.

Main products:

  1. Conclusions and recommendations for the participants of the reflection workshop, particularly recommendations for the participants of the SEDA project.
  2. Audiovisual materials to be distributed online about responsible production and consumption in the fashion industry with natural silk fibre.
  3. Summaries of meetings, key ideas on the sustainability of textile companies in Argentina and Brazil.
  4. Booklet on sustainability in textiles for producers and craftsmen.
  5. Recommendations on how to approach the international textile market from sustainability, mainly for luxury products, which is the silk niche.
  6. Press coverage on sustainability in silk production and the event held within the framework of the project co-financed through the ADELANTE programme, under the SEDA project.
  7. Final report of the consultancy.

Assessments:

The consultancy was highly valued by the technical experts of the participating entities and by the key actors of the sericulture sector and the textile and clothing industry that participated in the meetings. During her visit, the sustainability expert provided example cases and shared practical application tools to accompany the transition of the countries in the region towards a circular economy in the textile sector (one of the most polluting ones), while advising institutional and business leaders on the importance of aligning innovation, production and consumption processes to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Development Agenda 2030. Likewise, the general public and the media showed great interest in the knowledge and data provided by the expert and joined in the promotion of sustainable practices.

Asimismo, el público en general y los medios de comunicación mostraron gran interés en los conocimientos y datos impartidos por la profesional y se sumaron a la promoción de prácticas sustentables.

Links:

Video conference - Argentina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cW0GtmuqqY

Video - Brazil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j2U6cObc7M

Cover: https://www.adelante-i.eu/economia-circular-y-sustentabilidad-en-la-industria-de-la-moda

https://www.pressreader.com/brazil/folha-de-londrina/20190906/281986084240890

https://www.lanacion.com.ar/moda-y-belleza/deshechos-textiles-la-campana-recuperar-2-millones-nid2282743

https://mundotextilmag.com.ar/economia-circular-y-sustentabilidad-en-la-industria-de-la-moda/

https://www.inti.gob.ar/noticias/18-institucional/1499-economia-circular-y-sustentabilidad-en-la-industria-de-la-moda

https://www.fita.com.ar/agenda/conferencia-economia-circular-en-la-industria-textil-y-de-la-moda-gratuita/ 

http://www.noticias.uem.br/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23902:universidade-traz-palestra-de-alema-especialista-em-sustentabilidade-na-industria-textil-e-na-moda&catid=986&Itemid=101

http://seda.inti.gob.ar/mod/page/view.php?id=981