The SMARTINNO project aimed to promote the smart textile industry and highlight the specific knowledge and skills needed to join it. It provides free, easy-to-use educational materials for various target groups, supporting both learning and the integration of smart textile topics into curricula where possible. These materials make industry knowledge accessible to educational institutions, students, and the wider public, regardless of digital skills or geographic location. Through live and online events tailored to different knowledge levels, SMARTINNO promoted smart textile topics and facilitated networking and knowledge exchange between participants. By fostering transnational collaboration between Belgium, Germany, and Slovenia, the project reached a broader audience, enhanced knowledge transfer between industry and education, and supported innovation. Ultimately, SMARTINNO equips learners with essential and advanced skills, strengthens interest in the field, and contributes to the long-term competitiveness of the European smart textile sector.
We applied for the SMARTINNO project in response to a clear need within the European smart textile area: the significant gap between the industry demands and the current educational offering and training. As the field of smart textiles evolves, newcomers (students, early-career professionals, educators or experienced developers) often struggle to find updated and condensed knowledge and information that helps them to build up their knowledge and skills and therefore remain competitive in the market. Through the project, we addressed the following needs 1) Need for up-to-date knowledge on smart textiles: There is a gap between current education and industry needs in areas like textile components, electronics, software, and design, which the project addresses by providing classroom-ready materials aligned with industry requirements. 2) Need for knowledge transfer, collaboration, networking: The project enabled knowledge transfer from industry and research to academia and young professionals via collaborative events and early consultation on industry needs and expectations. 3) Need for inclusiveness: The project promoted inclusiveness by engaging all target groups equally, supporting networking with professionals.