The main objective of the project was to increase the knowledge, skills and awareness of trainers and adult learners in the field of recyclable fashion and sustainability within the coordinating and partner institutions. The project aimed to encourage adult learners to adopt a sustainable fashion approach by gaining practical experience in sustainable design and the use of recyclable materials. For trainers, the objective was to develop professional expertise in sustainable fashion and recycling and to strengthen their guidance capacity in sustainability-oriented design practices. For adult learners, the project sought to provide up-to-date knowledge on recyclable fashion and sustainability, while improving their practical skills in designing products using recyclable materials. In addition, the project aimed to promote international cooperation and intercultural learning by bringing together learners and trainers from different European countries. Through these objectives, the project contributed to raising awareness of waste reduction, recycling and the efficient use of resources, in line with European sustainability and circular economy priorities.
The From Waste to Elegance – Atıktan Şıklığa project was initiated to address the challenge of textile waste and the insufficient integration of sustainable fashion within adult education. As an adult education institution, Konya Maturation Institute observed that recyclable materials generated during training activities were not fully utilised as educational resources, and that both educators and adult learners lacked systematic approaches to sustainability-oriented design. Needs identified through institutional analysis and participant feedback indicated a demand for capacity building in sustainable fashion, recycling-based design and international knowledge exchange. The project responded to these needs by combining practice-based learning, transnational collaboration and the creation of an open-access digital platform, contributing to lifelong learning and the dissemination of sustainable fashion practices at European level.