Alpine project aims to protect ‘precious textile ecosystems’
Twelve partner organisations from six different Alpine countries are preparing to launch a new European Commission-funded project called AlpTextyles. A formal launch event will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on January 23.
In the build-up to the event, the project partners said that the Alpine regions of Europe have a “rich textile heritage, brimming with specific aesthetics and know-how”. They insisted that these traditions are based on the values of circularity and local resources.
They added: “As consumers grow increasingly critical of globalised value chains and turn to more sustainable lifestyles, the Alpine heritage could contribute to a reterritorialisation of textile value chains.”
Traditions have been disrupted by global sourcing and offshore production, they said, and sourcing locally again will boost natural local resources. AlpTextyles will also aim to “project an attractive image” of textile practices in these regions to help justify the higher price of Alpine products.
Part of the project’s work will be to gather “precious textile ecosystems to create a common ground of expertise in research and innovation, foster regional development and job creation, and safeguard cultural heritage and circularity”.
Image: Rokodelski Center, Škofja Loka, Slovenia.
