With the BIGS project, we aimed to achieve several interrelated objectives in the fields of environmental protection, education, and digital development. 1. Environmental objectives: • to reduce the amount of textile waste and promote the reuse of clothing, • to save raw materials and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, • to strengthen sustainable thinking (green thinking) among students and teachers, • to develop concrete solutions for transforming used clothing into new children’s garments. 2. Pedagogical objectives: • to develop new didactic materials, • to introduce the topic of textile waste management into the practical lessons of VET-TECH programmes, • to implement research methods at the secondary education level. 3. Digital and professional objectives: • to upgrade the digital competences of teachers and students through the use of software for design, modelling, and graphic preparation, • to exchange knowledge among partners regarding the use of various digital tools. 4. International cooperation: • to strengthen cooperation between VET-TECH schools and the university, • to develop joint approaches, best practices, and sustainable solutions that can be transferred to other schools.
The project was created in response to the fact that the textile industry is one of the largest polluters of the environment, and that the amount of textile waste is constantly increasing due to fast fashion. Srednja šola za oblikovanje Maribor, together with its partners, applied for the project because it aims to actively contribute to reducing textile waste through the collection, processing, and reuse of used clothing—especially by transforming larger (adult) garments into children’s clothing. The key identified needs were: • the large amount of waste textiles and clothing, • the lack of didactic materials in the field of sustainability and textile reuse in vocational education and training, • the need to develop digital competences of teachers and students in textile and fashion design (use of specialised software), • the need to increase student motivation, encourage creativity, and connect education with current environmental challenges, • the need for a systematic approach to textile waste management that could be integrated into the curriculum and school best practices. The project combines environmental responsibility, the development of innovative teaching approaches, and the strengthening of digital competences.