22 Sep 2023
On September19th, in SHERATON hotel in TUNIS, we went on to discover the green startups beneficiaries of the STAND UP Project during its closing event. During three year, the project supported the most eco-innovative textile entrepreneurs in Tunisia, Italy, Egypt, Spain and Lebanon, strengthened their value chain, and helped them be more competitive.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the project undertook many actions in training, financial grants, market stimulation, technology transfer, IPR protection, etc. Seven partners join forces to implement the different activities of the project including Medwaves CETTEX CITET TEXFOR Sekem Berytech and Museo Del Tessuto.
Before the kick-off of the event we came across Amgad Moustafa our Egyptian Switcher and co-founder of Green Fashion, and one of the winner of the WEMED Mediterranean Sustainability award 2021.
Proudly, Moustafa explained how the award, the international visibility and social media support took his startup to the next level. Finally, he announced their new partnership with crafty workshop funded by UNIDO to produce more sustainable textile garments using locally sourced eco-friendly materials.
“don’t underestimate the power of one social media post, it helped us access to a 20.000 euro market”, he added as an advice to entrepreneurs.
Next to him, WhyteGold founder Sara Salem, an online brand and platform that makes 100% Egyptian cotton essential products through a process of co-creation. Whyte gold benefited from the Green Business Model Training and Growth Incubation path.
Other entrepreneurs were there, showcasing their ingenious products and services. CompiTechnology makes a connected swimming suit that prevents their users from drowning. The startup received a support in innovation patent writing.
“Thanks to Stand Up Med project, we could enter an entire new market, the Spanish one, and explore a whole industry: the furniture especially for the luxury hotel” claimed Alessandro Scudieri, Business development manager at OHOSKIN
The Italian brand produces an alternative to leather made of orange peel, cactus, and recycled plastic.
All the entrepreneurs met were great examples of how resourceful and creative changemakers are building up successful ventures promoting a change towards an ethical and sustainable economic model for the clothing industry.
During this vibrant event, you could not miss ViZmerald EcoPalm DigiSmart Solutions EIC consulting the winning solutions selected In the framework of the multiple challenges on circular and sustainable innovation for the textile and fashion sector, opened in Tunisia and launched on the Switchers Open Eco-Innovation platform
ViZmerald created a software solution that combines camera-based texture analysis and automatic marking for the purpose of automatic fabric defects detection.
EcoPalm’s solution for the challenge “Cotton organic waste recovery “ is the valorisation of cotton waste for the production of biodegradable pots and growing mats having the final function of natural fertilisers.
DigiSmart Solutions offers a package of hardware and software service to monitor the use and quality of water and/or other natural resources in real time and be alerted about anomalies at the stage of textile production and treatment.
EIC consulting incorporates sludge into the formulation of concrete paving stones as a major innovation on a national scale aiming to solve the problem of textile sludge disposal.
Spanish startup Sepiia and Lebanese Grade A Plus were also part of the ceremony as Eco-innovators that combine circular economy, and ethical choices in the fashion and textile industry. They were both winners of the WEMED award 2022 and a price of 20.000€ given in the form of coaching services and external technical assistance to develop and consolidate their business idea.
While Grade A Plus upcycles the sheep wool wasted or burned in Lebanese mountains to produce Blankets, sheep wool insulation sheets and pellet fertilizers; Sepiia is a fashion company that implements technology in the fabric of its clothes to make them more efficient and sustainable.
Find more textile innovators in this catalogue produced with the financial assistance of the European Union under the ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme.