Berytech launches the STAND Up! Textile Eco-Innovation Challenge
Berytech launched the Textile Eco-Innovation Challenge, part of STAND Up!, a European Union funded project under the ENICBCMed, that aims to empower the fashion, clothing, and textile industries in Lebanon.
The Textile Eco-Innovation Challenge will offer early and growth stage ventures and independent entrepreneurs an opportunity to develop sustainable innovations for real-life challenges faced by companies in this field.
The Textile Challenge
Innovative ventures in the textile and fashion industries are called to offer their solutions to the challenges shared by Warde and La Brocante. The most innovative and realistic two will be selected to develop sustainable solutions addressing the needs of the companies, benefitting from a voucher of €20,000 for development and implementation.
The challenges will offer the possibility to fund the expertise, technology and services needed to action the solutions that the entrepreneurs have fostered and facilitate and support the matchmaking and agreements between entrepreneurs and SMEs by means of the Eco-innovation Platform to develop business partnerships.
Meet the Challengers
La Brocante – Production of Sustainable Fabrics for Furniture Upholstery
La Brocante, an initiative created by Arcenciel (AEC) – a Lebanese-based non-profit NGO, whose mission is to promote diversity, integration, and development through 5 core programs: Agriculture & Environment, Mobility & Health, Responsible Tourism, Youth Empowerment, and Social Support. La Brocante’s main challenge is the increase of non-recyclable fabrics in its workshop. Therefore, they are seeking a solution that concentrates on developing new sustainable fabrics and materials that will be utilized in repurposing donated furniture.
“We faced a shortage in the fabrics that we use to upcycle furniture sorted by La Brocante, which in turn is given a new home to people in need or sold for a lower cost. We are looking for a sustainable innovative solution that would assist us with our textile sustainability challenge,” says Jihad Jilwan, La Brocante Project Manager.
Warde – Developing a Stock Management System for Textiles
Warde found themselves stocking an excessive number of textiles made from natural yarns, such as cotton and linen. These textiles also contain synthetic fibers such as polyester, which are non-biodegradable and harmful to the environment.
Seeing this issue at hand, Warde decided to be part of Berytech’s STAND Up! Textile Eco-Innovation challenge, to find a solution to reduce textile pollution in Lebanon and the Middle East.
“We invite entrepreneurs to participate in this challenge. We will be providing them with all the facilities, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and the best support to help reach the solution,” says Gabriel Warde, the Chief Operating Officer of Warde.
Read more about the benefits, the evaluation criteria, the selection process, and how to apply here.
About the STAND Up! Project
The STAND Up! project aims to enhance scalable, replicable, and inclusive circular economy ventures in the Mediterranean by developing an ecosystem of business support, innovation, and technology transfer that will lead to sustainable job creation for youth and women. Learn more about the STAND Up! project.
