Hello Ethical Pioneer!
It has been an eventful month at WEAR Sustain as we promote our first Open Call for creative and technology collaborative innovation funding, to co-develop ethical or sustainable wearables, smart and e-textiles. Open Call launch events have so far taken place in Sofia, Aarhus, Barcelona and London. Thanks to all of you who have taken part.
We are excited about our last few events for this round of funding, which will take place next week, in Gent (with Ministry of Makers) on 16 May, in Brussels (with Brussels Creative & MAD Brussels) on 17 May, and two in Eindhoven (as part of Dutch Technology Week) on 16, 18 and 19 May, all looking at the future of ethical and sustainable wearables, smart and e-textiles. There will be workshops, coaching, round tables, matchmaking and networking opportunities, plus a fantastic line-up of speakers too. You’ll be spoiled for choice, so If you are close by please do try to make at least one of these.
Don’t forget to join our growing WEAR Network. Membership is free! Individuals also have the option to identify whether you’re looking to team up, searching for a creative or a tech partner for the Open Call. The more joiners, the bigger the pool of talent and experts!
We have recorded a few how-to videos to help you register, if you need it.
Our two funding application support webinars this month have proven to be very helpful to joined us. We recorded them both, so please do find some time to watch them on our YouTube Channel, as they could contain some answers to your burning Open Call questions.
The 3rd and final webinar and Q&A will take place next Monday 15th May, so register now to take part and be ready with your queries.
Designer Profile
This month we feature Anouk Wipprecht in an interview with Linda van de Ven, our Eindhoven event co-organiser. Anouk is a Designer and Innovator working in the emerging field of FashionTech and in this interview she addresses sustainability, collaboration and developing a wearable. Anouk Wipprecht is the ambassador for the WEAR event in Eindhoven on May 18 & 19 and she will give a closing keynote session on ‘Rethinking Fashion in the Age of Digitalization’.
Join our online network
WEAR Sustain provides networking opportunities at our local events. It is also important that everyone interested in joining the project in some capacity creates a profile on the WEAR Online Network.
The WEAR Sustain EU-wide network consist of ethical and sustainable focussed creatives, hubs, experts, technologists, academia and other fields involved in wearables, smart textiles, sustainability, innovation and business that could have a hand in making and supporting change across Europe.
Enter or claim your profile now and be part of a pioneering critical, ethical and aesthetic wearables and e-textiles ecosystem!
Upcoming Events
A series of WEAR Sustain events take place during the project’s Open Calls – Call 1 in April/May 2017 and also Call 2 in November/December 2017.
These events will engage stakeholders in dialogue and knowledge exchange across Europe, support neworking an matchmaking, help with the application process and raise awareness of the issues involved:
Eindhoven, the Netherlands (16th-19th May), hosted by the Creative Ring
Ghent, Belgium (16th May), hosted by Ministry of Makers
Brussels, Belgium (17th May) hosted by the Creative Ring
We hope to see some of you at our next events in the Benelux region or at the webinar on Monday!
Rachel Lasebikan
On behalf of the WEAR Sustain consortium
Senior Research & Innovation Manager, Queen Mary University of London