Let’s discover the three finalists of the public administration and organisation category!

• Bergische Kostümbörse – Give your costume a 2nd session! implemented by Bergischer Abfallwirtschaftsverband, in Lindlar;

In the Rhineland, people like to celebrate carnival, and the party-loving “Jecken” like to adorn themselves regularly with new costumes. Every year – in every “Session” as they say in carnival – many people want to get a new model and the old treasures often end up in the attic. Therefore, the Zero Waste Club has set up the “Bergische Kostümbörse” together with local carnival associations. The “Bergische Kostümbörse” consists organisationally on the one hand of an action day and on the other hand of a collection of costumes, which is already possible before the action day. Some just want to give away something that is too good to throw away. Some others might find a great new costume – and all with the positive (side) effect: resource conservation. To attract as many people as possible to the exchange market on the site, there is a carnivalesque supporting program with the local children’s royal couples and children’s dance groups.

• Eco Fashion Competition implemented by Lisburn Castlereagh City Council and South Eastern Regional College, in Lisburn;

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) Officers partnered with South Eastern Regional College (SERC) Staff and tutors to develop a textile waste reduction project to raise awareness of the impact of fast fashion, promote preloved/upcycled clothes and textiles as viable alternatives, and provide free upskilling opportunities to students and members of the community, inspiring and empowering them to upcycle textiles. The project was based around a textile upcycling competition for students based at the SERC Lisburn Campus. Students were tasked with transforming a second-hand textile item into a new item of clothing or accessory. Students were encouraged to look at fashion in a different way and to learn to repair, personalise and upcycle items from their wardrobe. The project was developed to include education talks and practical workshops, with the final competition entries displayed in the local Art Exhibition Centre and student campus.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UB0G61BlLQ 

• Waste is out of fashion…Let your clothes write their own story implemented by City of Athens.

The City of Athens, and specifically the Waste and Recycling Dept of City of Athens, organized a 3-day open to the public event under the theme “Waste is out of fashion…Let your clothes write their own story”. The event was multi-faceted with actions centered on raising awareness about sustainable resources and textiles waste management. The set of actions stemmed out from tradition-meets-technology approach. The visitors’ experience was carefully designed through the 3 pillars of the event corresponding to the three basic EWWR keywords Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. All activities were designed to address awareness and learning through hands-on workshops and seminars, participating art installations, shows and technology demonstrations, as well as educational role-playing events, all inspired and guided by the circular and sustainable textile’s theme, as well as by a creative re-use viewpoint.