The STARS project aims to support sustainable fashion start-ups in disadvantaged areas in the North-East Latvia and in the South of Italy through the engagement of vulnerable groups. The project fostered a more sustainable approach to business initiatives related to the fashion system and, at the same time, a long-term working integration of disadvantaged segments of population.
We applied for this project to address critical sustainability challenges within fashion industry, which is second-largest polluter globally. Exponential increase in garment production - 80 billion units each year - illustrates a severe overconsumption issue, with only a small fraction of clothing being worn or recycled. This wastefulness underscores a pressing need for environmental and social responsibility among fashion producers and consumers. By targeting disadvantaged populations, particularly in Eastern Latvia and Southern Italy, we recognized the necessity to empower individuals who face job insecurity. They often lack training and resources to engage with sustainable practices effectively. We created educational opportunities that provide knowledge about sustainable fashion equipping participants with the skills needed to develop their entrepreneurial ventures. We created a paradigm shift from a disposable culture to one that values longevity and sustainability, thereby fostering economic opportunities and improving environmental outcomes. We contributed to both communities and broader fashion ecosystem by providing an opportunity to enlarge their network, to share their own experience, seizing new opportunities.