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the European Union

ECOMODA Upskilling clothing and textile SMEs for sustainable and ethical growth

ECOMODA is an Erasmus + project directed for apparel and textile industry sectors. Our aim is  the promotion and adoption of European policies, values and ethics regarding environmental-friendly and respecting principles of corporate social responsibility practices.

We also wish to  involve employees in the improvement of their companies’ processes as well as those of their supply chain in this respect.

The project mportance relies on the sectors’ volume in terms of economic impact and employment on one hand and on the fact that the sector constitutes one of the main pollutants on the other.

The project impact will be also based on the interest in using its results, participation in networks, outreach in the sector and media coverage of the project partners.

Why are we doing it?

Textile and apparel industries are the biggest industries and the biggest pollutants. Fashion industry accounts for up to one fifth of industrial water pollution.

ECOMODA project aims  at creating knowledge, competences and skills about sustainability and ethical dimensions for all businesses involved in the clothing and textile sector.We  acknowledge the need for shifting the clothing and textile industry into a more sustainable and ethical industry.

ECOMODA is going to provide high quality training and initiatives on environmental sustainability to all professionals working in the apparel and textile industry including designers, textile manufacturers, SMEs’ owners and managers but also employees.

Engaging all working levels and sectors of an enterprise and developing green sectoral skills, will help enhance the sustainability in the industry at a long-term goal as it will create a deeper behavioural change throughout all the levels of a company. at all levels. 

The recent EU initiative for a strategy for sustainable textiles aims at assisting “the EU shift to a climate-neutral, circular economy where products are designed to be more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable and energy-efficient.”

The EC has also undertaken some preliminary steps on due diligence requirements through the supply chain to tackle human rights abuses. Being among the most polluting industries but also the most profitable ones, it is crucial for the textile and clothing sector to move towards a more sustainable and ethical future.

Circular economy is growing in popularity, meaning that customers demand sustainable practices in the clothes they buy.

Alongside EU regulations, industry needs to adapt its ability to reduce the resources used, to ensure the protection of the environment and that of human health. The lack of a highly skilled and trained workforce, could slow the greening process of the industry and its competitiveness.

Alongside training new workers, this will increasingly mean re-skilling and upskilling existing workers through life-long learning.

According to the report Greening with jobs: World Employment and Social Outlook, skills in the textile sector mismatch the greening of the economy due to lack of knowledge of the environment–skills nexus, the absence of regularly conducted employment projections and of financial mechanisms to promote investments in skills development.

In many countries, environmental law reforms have led to the establishment or revision of professional qualification standards.

By developing high quality training and digital tools that engage all the working levels of a corporation, ECOMODA aims to achieve the consolidation of all these.

What are we doing?

We aim at  raising  awareness on the importance of sustainable and ethical development in the textile and apparel sector with special focus on Small and Medium sized enterprises.

We wish to obtain this by:

• designing  a high quality e-learning course to upskill  the managerial level of enterprises operating in the textiles and  apparel sector as well as designers to equip them with the needed knowledge to transform their enterprises.
• upskilling the workforce of the aforementioned companies  through blended learning in sustainability.
• fostering a participatory culture in enterprises where everyone  contributes actively to sustainability goals 
• supporting both employers/managers and employees via a digital platform.
• making  it possible for all parties involved to identify the environmental and social impacts of the industry and implement a strategy for the sustainable and ethical development of their enterprise.