2024

GLOBAL CHALLENGES – LOCAL RESPONSES: HYBRID SYMPOSIUM 2024 AT HAW HAMBURG AND DUT DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SOUTH AFRICA

The global ecological, economic and social challenges within a smaller or larger textile,interieur or clothing context have become increasingly obvious since the new century. And many local and international initiatives recognize the need to addressing these critical issues with great commitment and creative approaches. Industry, too, is examining ways towards more transparency and traceability in the supply chain or investigating the potential at the end of the textile and clothing cycle.

Local material, tradition and heritage make for community projects with impact and empowerment. Here especially education acts as major factor for changemaking and the fabricating of futures. Material re-used on the level of bespoke and on-demand upcycling concepts in the design context has celebrated successes. The larger scale industry context, however, faces major challenges to deal with the enormous quantities of both pre-consumer and even more post-consumer waste and is slowly beginning to investigate viable solutions.

The GREEN CYCLES symposium is opening up debate and discourse for a better understanding of these relevant global challenges in the textile cycle by seeking out solutions and best practice examples.