Aim of the project

This project aims to help the Danish textile industry on the promise of sustainability, by addressing the crux of the problem – sourcing and production which has a not-sustainable environmental impact. In addition to extensive area usage and huge CO2 emissions, the textile value chain affects water consumption, waste and chemical emissions. The change needed requires disruptive innovation across the value chain in the form of new materials, technologies, and circular practices. This again requires a Multi-stakeholder approach – bringing together a helix of research, technology, textile producers and public endorsement and regulation. We are building towards a long-term partnership with the Indian textile industry and Danish brands where circularity in various ways can flourish.

Background

India is a key market for Danish textile production and imports, accounting for DKK 2,4 bn of imports in 2021. It is an opportune time to build an Indo-Danish project, that brings together the textile and technology ecosystems from both countries, because of the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark, which is focused on collaboration across several facets of sustainability. Since 2019 Denmark and India has in an Action Plan established ground for much closer collaborations within design, textile handicraft, music and several technological segments as for example water.

Target audience

Danish SMEs and big brands within the fashion and textile industry who want to make circular initiatives with their current Indian collaborators or wish to start Indian production in the future with a circular approach.

About the partners

The Lifestyle and Design Cluster, Innovation Centre Denmark, Circular Apparel Innovation Factory and Dansk Industri have been granted the ‘Partnerskabsprojekt’ from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. This grant enable the partners to bring in key academia and research stakeholders to create a diverse group well equipped to address the collaboration in green transition between India and Denmark.
By bringing on board Aalborg University (AAU business school) and the National Institute of Design (NID) the application aims to strengthen the research collaborations across the sectors of textile waste, new materials and circularity practises and channel them into the interactions with industry and innovators.

Goals

To establish a strategic collaboration between Danish textile and fashion brands and Indian producers in order to develop a more circular and regenerative textile value chain

Primary focus is on MSMEs and meeting their need for a ‘shared governance’ model that offers overview, knowledge, matchmaking, and risk reduction