The conference theme for 2024? Circular economy. Promoting circular economy – approaches and ways towards a circular supply chain.
Closed cycles offer enormous potential, from resource conservation to cost reduction to the implementation of new business models. That’s why the event on February 5, 2024 at the Swedish Embassy in Berlin was about moving away from linear economies and linear working methods towards a sustainable and profitable circular economy.
International speakers gave insights into their work. A summary of the Promoting circular economy conference at the Swedish Embassy Berlin and the most important quotes:
From the collaboration between Södra, OnceMore and Tencel in an attempt to produce new viscose from forestry and textile waste, to the insight into the innovative work in business textiles by the Dutch company Cibutex and the importance of collaborations that take place at the Swedish School of Textiles play a central role and where over 200 companies have been brought together.
Speaking of collaboration: this was also mentioned by Cibutex co-founder Jan Lamme. Knowledge transfer and collaboration between different countries are essential when it comes to faster transformation and further development.
We created a problem by ourself so we should be part of the solution. Jan Lamme, Cibutex
Incredibly eye-opening: Prof. Stefan Schlicher pointed out that if we recycled and reused all our textile waste, we would be a larger producing country than India. In Augsburg, where he teaches at the TH, a complete production chain is shown on 400 square meters. 20 companies from the supply chain are involved here.
Not only thinking about how to sell a product but talking about the whole lifecycle. Prof. Stefan Schlicher
And everyone agreed on this: Our textile waste must be sorted in the Global North instead of being sent to Pakistan & Co.
Everyone is sorting for second hand. We need new ways image based sorting with artificial background.
Recyled fibres should be less expensive than new materials. Åsa Degerman, Södra OnceMore
The conference was streamed live on the embassy’s YouTube channel and can be viewed here >>>
Foto Header: Bernhard Ludewig
